Conception
by iheartbooks2509
Summary: My first fanfic based on life after Twilight/Heaven Sent. Jesse and Suze...and Suze winds up pregnant. JS
1. Chapter 1  This is it

This is it. This is the life I'd always dreamed of having with Jesse .Jesse training to be a doctor, me going to college, us living together in his apartment. Just perfect.

Jesse is always the perfect gentleman, I mean; it feels as if he's already my husband. He's always so caring and wonderful. He tells me that he loves me all the time. The guy can't make a wrong move, except that time we were playing COD and he stepped out into the open. Such incredible graphics, I must say.

Paul on the other hand seems determined to make the wrong moves. He pushed me into a pool for crying out loud! I got a terrible cold, as it wasn't the warmest of ghost-hutting nights (the fact that Jesse looked after me almost made me forgive him). He said that he wanted to see what I Iooked like in wet clothes (Jesse almost beat him up for making me sick and being a psycho).

Did I tell you about the time he came over to the apartment to tell Jesse that I'd kissed him? Jesse didn't believe him until I told him it was true. Paul was exaggerating though. It was only the kiss of life, which he turned into a kiss. 'You can't blame a guy for trying' were his last words before Jesse's fist landed in his face.

Saying that everything is perfect right now would only jinx it. This place is like a ghost town –excuse me- ghost free town at the moment. I haven't seen a ghost for ages, like, six months. I also haven't seen Paul in a while either. Hurrah!

Father D says that we should use this time to relax and regain; after all, we've mediated all the ghosts in the area. I hope. I bet they're just plotting and waiting until the worst possible moment to pop out and say: "Boo! Did you miss me?" I just know it. Like perhaps at my wedding or something.

"Querida?" Jesse yells, stepping into the apartment. I always get home before Jesse, even though we go to the same college. I think it's because his course requires a lot more hard work. And speaking of hard work, you should've seen the size of Jesse's folder today. It was literally going to break. I'll buy him a new one. We are always buying each other 'gifts'. You know the kind where they benefit the giver more than the receiver?

"In here!" I shout form the office. I have also been working hard, trying to write another news story for Ceecee's paper. I usually get the news first because, well, I am the news (remember the head of the statue a few years back?), and so lately, it has been hard work.

Jesse steps into the room and gives me a hug. I kiss him, my arms sliding comfortably around his neck and his round my waist. I never actually realise how much I missed Jesse until this moment. How did I ever survive so long without him? I deepen the kiss, and then he pulls away. Damn. That's one thing that's not perfect. Jesse still refuses to have sex with me. He says that we must wait until we're married, then it will be much more special. He even bought me new pyjamas, which actually cover me from head to toe, so that he isn't tempted to ravish me during the night or something. Sweet? Nah, despite my various excuses for not wearing pyjamas, he always buys me more.

"Hey, Jesse."

"Hello, Susannah." Crap. He called me Susannah. Was I using my seductive voice again? I never notice any more because it just doesn't seem to work on Jesse.

"How was your day?" I asked, trying to sound normal. I probably sounded odd. Oh, well, Jesse should be used to it by now.

"Good, I learnt a lot today. How was yours?" Jesse said, smiling. After he'd gotten used to being alive, there was rarely a dull moment with him.

"It was alright. I still haven't managed to finish my article."

"Would you like me to help you?"

"It's fine, besides, you have plenty of work to do."

"Sir thought I could handle it, given how keen I am to work."

"I was actually talking about dinner."

"Why? What are we having today?" We always make dinner together. I pick the recipe, and Jesse chops up all the food for me to put into various pots on our electric hob. It's actually quite fun, and we once had a food fight. But once we had scrubbed the last red stain off the kitchen floor, the lesson was well learnt.

"Es una sorpresa,"I said. For those of you unable to speak Spanish, I'll translate. It means: 'it's a surprise'. I've been picking it up from Jesse and didn't really notice until we were at my parent's house, having a conversation in Spanish.

"Dime, por favor," Jesse says, which means: 'tell me, please'.

"Lo siento, no puedo,"I reply, which translates as 'I'm sorry, I can't'.

"Pero, Querida…" He stars, which is: 'but sweetheart…'

"Can we speak in English now?" All this translating is taking too long.

"Of course. What's for dinner?"

"I'm not telling you, plus you have a lot of work to do. So, I don't want to see you anywhere near the kitchen," I demanded, walking away.

Jesse reluctantly sat down and put his folder on the desk with a 'thump'. As I looked back, he gave me his best puppy dog look, to which, I raised my eyebrows (I could never raise just one) and flounced away. If he wasn't going to succumb to my charms, then I certainly wasn't to his. I sighed, opening the thick recipe book to the page I had marked earlier. Spaghetti bolognaise with cheese and garlic bread. Italian. We stopped having Spanish food because Jesse always wanted to cook it by himself. I turned towards the fridge to gather my ingredients and jumped. A ghost? In Carmel? Somebody died? At last!


	2. Chapter 2  Who are you?

**A/N: Sorry I spent so much time updating. Well, it felt like ages to me. Thanks to those of you that reviewed. Keep doing so. I need to know if my story's good or not. Sorry about my spelling in the last chapter, Word told me that it was all good, but clearly not…**

**Disclaimer: For those of you that thought I was Meg Cabot, I'm sorry to disappoint, but I'm not. I just forgot my disclaimer last time. The only character I own is this new ghost.**

"Who are you?" I asked, rather rudely. I mean, she had just materialized into my house.

"You can see me?" She asked. Really?

"No, I'm talking to myself," I quipped. I was really getting tired of ghosts asking me that. You'd think it was obvious from the fact that I was talking to them. Apparently not.

"Alright, no need for that!" She replied, incredulously.

"So, what are you doing here?" I asked. Ghosts have to be pumped for information. It's like interviewing a guilty criminal – they only answer the questions you ask.

"Well, that guy in the office, he's really hot, I mean, if he were an apple, I'd bite," she said, playing with her hair. She walked over to sit on the kitchen counter, legs crossed. Now that I look at her properly, she is actually quite beautiful. Her hair falls in perfect waves, down her shoulders; her green eyes stare into mine with the depth I'd only ever seen in Jesse's. She's wearing the classic 'little black dress', which reached mid-thigh and complemented her great boobs with a low-cut neckline. If she weren't a ghost, I'd be jealous.

"First of all, you can't just make yourself at home here. You knock. Second of all, that apple is mine. Not that he wants biting quite yet, but all the same, he's my boyfriend. And last of all, who are you?"

"You shouldn't feel threatened by me. I'm Cupid, here to fix all relationships. When I saw your man look at me, I thought it would fix mine, but clearly not…" Not one of these. Delusional Helpers, I call them. They believe they have been made angels of something sent here to help others

"You're a ghost. For some reason, you cannot pass on. I'm a mediator, here to help…" I began, slowly, hoping she'd understand.

"Yeah, I've heard that speech before from another guy. Paul. I wanted him too, but he said he loved someone else. When I offered to help him, he threatened me with an exorcism." Paul all over.

"Yep. That's Paul alright," I confirmed.

"You know him?"

"Yes, unfortunately."

"Why unfortunately?"

"Can we move on now?" I really didn't want to talk about Paul right now, after all, it had been a whole 5 months since the last time I'd seen him.

"Sure. So, what about that unbitten apple?" Nosy.

"Oh that? That's nothing. We just chose to abstain from sex until we get married," I said, neutrally, putting on the pasta. I have been cooking all the way through this conversation, you know. I've done the meat and grated the cheese. I just needed to put on the pasta and the garlic bread.

"You mean HE chose, right?" How does she know?

"Yes. No. Maybe. Can we get on to you now?" She should mind her own ghostly business.

"I see what you need."

"What _I_ need? _You're_ the ghost! What do _I_ need?" I was supposed to be helping her!

"Querida!" Jesse called from the office. Has he finished his work already?

"I'll be right back," I said to 'Cupid'.

"Sure, take your time," she replied, smiling. A happy ghost. Well, there's something you don't see every day.

"Jesse," I said in reply. He was lounging in the chair with his feet up on the desk. He swizzled round to look at me.

"Is dinner ready?" He asked, pouting. Honestly, he can be so childish sometimes.

"Ten minutes."

"Can I see what you're cooking? It smells good." Flattery can get you anywhere.

"Nice try, Hector." Just not in this case.

"It does,"

"Ten minutes," I said, walking back to the kitchen. I found 'Cupid' bent over my pot, stirring up my red sauce.

"Was it burning?" I asked. That is the only reason she'd be doing that, right?

"Yeah, so I just thought I'd…"

"Thanks." I said. The last thing I wanted was a burnt dinner.

"Anyway, I'd better be going. I don't want to ruin your evening." A ghost who doesn't want to ruin my evening let alone my life? What is the world coming to?

"No, of course not. You can stay. Jesse would love to meet you." I had to take advantage of this unusual occurrence.

"No. I've been away too long." The she dematerialized. That was the nicest ghost I have ever met.

I served up the spaghetti bolognaise, and even put the little bit of herb on top. Then I took it to the table, where there was a bottle of wine waiting for us. Jesse wanted to teach me how to appreciate red wine, but it all just tastes of vinegar to me.

"Jesse!" I called, pouring some wine into each glass. Jesse appeared behind me and wrapped his arms around my waist.

"Spaghetti bolognaise," he commented, nuzzling my neck.

"Yes. Don't you like it?"

"I love it."

**A/N: Sorry about my chapters being so short. Does that even bother you? REVIEW!**

**And we'll get to why the story is called 'conception' later. Honestly, there is a valid reason, so keep reading. Is there anything anyone would like to see happen in this story? If you tell me now then I can put it in.**

**See you next chapter,**

**Iheartbooks2509**


	3. Chapter 3 Dinner was great

Dinner was great. Jesse and I both went back for second helpings, something we rarely ever do. For a while afterwards, we sat and talked – just talked. I mean, we talk all the time, just mostly about the future or mediator stuff, but we had a casual conversation (that wasn't in Spanish).

"Querida, I think we should clean up now," Jesse said, his dark brown eyes looking deep into mine. This brought me right back to earth in an instant. I hadn't even realized that I'd been sitting there, staring at him. Awkward. "Sure, Jesse," I replied, getting out of my seat. I picked up my plate and walked to the kitchen with Jesse not far behind.

I looked into the pot which had once contained the bolognaise meat. Damn! Empty, barely a drop of sauce left. Jesse picked up the pot, ran his finger around the sides and put it in his mouth (his finger, not the pot). "Mmmm. Querida, dinner was nice today."

"I'm glad you liked it," I said, wrapping my arms around his neck, closing the distance between us. He leaned forward and kissed me, but this time, when I deepened the kiss, he continued to kiss me. Jesse's hands had moved from my waist and were inching their way up my back. I moaned (what? He's a good kisser), making his hands move towards the front of my bra. At this rate, the washing up will be there at least until tomorrow. Then Jesse's hands accidently (or so he says) undid my bra, at which point, I pulled away from shock. Over the years, Jesse has gotten used to my bra, knowing where it is and how you avoid undoing it. He hasn't undone it for years.

"I'm sorry, Susannah. I didn't mean to-"

"Jesse. It's fine. I was just a little…surprised, that's all. You didn't do anything wrong."

"In that case, where were we?" What? Jesse? Did he just...? Was he-

My thoughts were cut off as Jesse laid his lips on mine. I still hadn't done up the bra, giving Jesse's hands an opportunity to wander up and down, uninterrupted. He pulled me closer to him, so that our hips bumped together. We'd never really talked about the whole 'what goes on under Jesse's pants thing', so I didn't quite know how to react.

"Querida." He picked me up and took me towards the bedroom, his dark eyes gleaming with lust. I knew then, at that moment that he was ready.

**xXx (just missing out some errr… confidential bits)**

I woke up with a huge headache. I didn't have on my chaste pyjamas. That could only mean one thing. Memories came flooding in from the night before. Jesse and I had sex! I am no longer a virgin! After so long, we have finally done it! I need to stop thinking in exclamation marks!

Beside me, Jesse groaned. He rolled over and was suddenly wide awake. Cautiously, he lifted the covers and had a look. Before anything else could be said, he darted out from under the covers and put on his dressing gown. We have seen each other without clothes on before, of course by accident (on Jesse's behalf anyway).

"Susannah. Did we actually…?" He asked, slowly.

"Do it? Yeah." I was a little unsure myself; Jesse would never have done this.

"Susannah, I am terribly sorry," he said, his face showing guilt and confusion, "I had honestly meant to wait until we were married. We…I shouldn't have put you in that position…"

"You weren't saying that last night." I couldn't help it. Sexual innuendo comes naturally to me. Poor Jesse, he went right red from the tip of his toes all the way up to his hair. "I was joking. Sorry," I said, "ugh. What wine was that?"

"It can't have been the wine, Susannah. You had less than half a glass."

"You have a headache too?" He completely ignored my question.

"We are showing the classic signs of-"

"What do you mean? Are we ill?"

"No. We've been poisoned." Who could've poisoned us? Male doctors. Always so paranoid that they've got a disease.

"Poisoned? Am I going to die?" I feigned worry.

"Not in that way, Susannah."

"Go on…"

"With an aphrodisiac."

"An aphrodisiac? Really? How do you know? I tried looking those up once, you know, for research purposes…Anyway, they're not proven to actually work." I was honestly looking them up for some science homework. Nothing to do with Jesse.

"Did you-"

"Jesse! How could you think that I would…? No!" I know I wanted to, but I didn't, because I knew how much the whole 'married' thing meant to Jesse.

"Well, Susannah, you have been…"

"Of course I didn't poison us! I was willing to wait, so that you could enjoy it…not that you didn't…" Jesse blushed again.

"Susannah. I researched them for a reason."

"You mean you didn't trust me. You thought that I would just do that to you?"

I got out of the bed, without bothering to cover myself and went to the bathroom, taking some clothes with me. Jesse sighed as I left. As if I would purposely do that. I know with the whole bikini thing (we went to the beach, me in the most revealing bikini I could find, and Jesse almost couldn't resist…until Ceecee accidentally told him that I'd done it on purpose. Now I have to wear a one piece suit), and the bed thing (us sleeping in the same bed), it may seem like the kind of thing I'd do, but I'm not like that. Surely Jesse knows me well enough-

It was Cupid! Not that one. The ghost I met yesterday. I dropped the clothes, and ran out of the bathroom, leaving the shower on. "Jesse!" He turned, and immediately shut his eyes. Crap. I was naked.


	4. Chapter 4 Cupid?

**A/N: This chapter might be a little short but I'm desperate to move on and get to the main part of the story rather than this gap-filler stuff.**

**Disclaimer: I keep forgetting these, but, if you've been skipping the story and went from chapter 1 to 3, then you wouldn't know that I am not Meg Cabot. I wish I was, and then I could own these awesome characters. (Except for Cupid, she's mine).**

**I have decided to acknowledge my reviewers. Thank you for reviewing.**

**Angel- Thanks. Hee hee, Paul so cruel. He's appearing later. Which way do you want it to go with him? Good or Bad? Nice or Sexy…?**

**lilmizz3vil- The perfect couple. They may not be later. Stick around.**

**Da****nny-jdb-Brooks****- What was strange about it? Are they way OOC? Don't feel bad. It'll turn out okay in the end. Or will it?**

**Anyway, on with the story- the bit you've hopefully been waiting for.**

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 4 – Cupid?<strong>

"Cupid?" Jesse asked, his eyebrows practically disappearing into his hairline.

"Yes." I insisted. I quickly put on a robe to cover up. I know how uncomfortable nudity makes Jesse.

"The Greek myth who happens to be the son of Aphrodite, Goddess of love and beauty?"

"No. The ghost. You know, red hair, green eyes, very pretty-"

"But not as pretty as you, I bet." He interrupted.

"No. Very pretty. Have you seen her around?"

"No. Wait. Was she wearing a black dress?"

"Yes!" How could he not have noticed?

"I thought she was alive."

"You need to be more observant."

"Says the one who cannot remember to cover herself when she's undressed."

"You're my boyfriend. It's nothing you haven't seen before." Jesse was crimson.

"Susannah," Jesse said, exasperated.

"Besides, it's water under the bridge now. We won't ever do it again."

"Ever? Because I was thinking-" He pulled me in closer, arms around my waist hands cupping my… butt (?).

"Water. Bridge. Under." I didn't want Jesse changing his mind just because of last night. It made me realise what Jesse was talking about. The sex was good, but, maybe this is the aphrodisiac talking, it wasn't all that.

"If you say so."

Then believe it or not, Jesse walked away, swinging his hips from side to side for maximum butt showage. I think the effect hasn't quite worn off on him...

I pulled on some jeans today, unable to handle a skirt after last night, and a sweater. Much more chaste then my usual ensemble. I put up my hair in a ponytail. Today was a working day. Today, I would go into the office and write there rather than at home. I will finish this story.

Jesse was in the kitchen, nursing a cup of coffee. Black.

"UGH." Did I hear that correctly? Did Jesse just groan? Like hangover groan?

"Susannah. How much was in there?" He moaned.

"It wasn't me." I said.

"Anyway, I have decided to live somewhere else for a few days."

"Somewhere else?" I squeaked in the same squeaky voice I used last time. How does my voice do that? Jesse ran his hands through his hair. I love it when he does that. It reminds me how nice it is, only this time, he looked down into his coffee and sighed, somewhat ruining the effect.

"Susannah. I'll be back. I'm going to stay with the Padre and confess."

"Jesse! You're going to tell him?"

"Yes. Susannah, stop squeaking."

"After all his talks about my 'womanly wiles'?" **(A/N: I just can't stop going on about these. I might mention them in every chapter. If you get tired of it, just say so.)**

"Your what?"

"Never mind." I said, quickly, mentally slapping myself for mentioning that to Jesse.

"You know I love you and I'll be back, right?" Jesse stroked my shoulders soothingly. I looked into his eyes. Damn that Jesse charm. I swear he could talk his way out of a hostage situation.

"Of course. I love you too. I just don't want you to leave." What will I do without him? I don't even feel like going into work today. Shame that, because I'd already phoned in to say I was coming. Speaking of work, I was going to be incredibly late if I didn't leave soon.

"Jesse, as much as I'd love to stay and talk about my feelings some more, I'm going to be late," I said, grabbing my coat and my purse then kissing him on the cheek. "We'll talk when I get back. Love you!" I rushed out of kitchen.

"Susannah-" Jesse called. I closed the front door behind me, ran down the stairs and only just made it on time for the bus. I wonder what Jesse was going to say.

* * *

><p>I returned to find the apartment empty and a note on the kitchen counter.<p>

_Querida,_

_I have left, but I will be back._

_I tried to tell you this morning that I was leaving today, but you had already gone._

_Te amo,_

_Jesse X_

_P.S. I left you some spaghetti carbonara in the fridge._

* * *

><p><strong>AN: Jesse has left Suze. He'll be back, won't he?**

**Back to the point. They've done it, the story's called Conception… You can see where this is going, can't you. So I'm just going to skip a couple of months and please REVIEW. Boy or Girl?**

**Oh and I'm English so I don't quite know how the American education system works, so any tips? How long are they supposed to be in college? How old are they? And so on…**

**iheartbooks.**


	5. Chapter 5 UGH

**A/N: Two in one day! Woo hoo! I'm on a roll! Keep reading. Remember to review.**

**Disclaimer: See previous chapter. *turns to listen to wise person* What do you mean they can't be bothered? I can't be bothered! Fine. I am not Meg Cabot. I own nothing. (Except the plot.)**

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 5- UGH<strong>

Ugh. Vomiting. Again. UGH. I've been like this for a week. Damn stomach bug. It feels as though it's been a lot longer. I haven't heard from Jesse since the day he left. Two months and counting. He said he needed some time alone, without me, so who am I to interfere? Okay, so he hasn't answered my phone calls. And Father D wouldn't let me see him, even when I said I was ill.

So there I was, head over toilet when the person I least expected to hear from called. No, not Jesse. Though I was hoping it was. I really miss him. Anyway, the phone call. It was Paul. What did he have to say? Ghost troubles? Knowing Paul, I damn well hoped so.

"Paul." I said, not wanting to sound too inviting.

"Is that anyway to greet an old friend?"

"It is if that friend isn't much of a friend."

"Don't be like that, Suze."

"What do you want?"

"I heard you and Jesse did the dirty."

"Who told you?"

"The man himself. He just couldn't resist. He just had to rub it into my face."

"And? If this is another one of your attempts to get me to fall in love with you-"

"Such vanity. I've come to warn you."

"Go on. What is it now? There isn't another spider-ghost on your bed, is there?"

"No. Suze. This is serious. Meet me at the coffee clutch. This is deep shifter shit."

"Alright. When?"

"10 minutes."

"Couple of hours?"

"ASAP. One hour."

"Fine. Paul?"

"Yes."

"No tricks."

"I promise."

Then he hung up on me. And I threw up. I don't know if it was from the bug or the fact that I agreed to meet Paul. It gets worse. Jesse doesn't know. This could all be part of an evil plot which ends in Jesse breaking up with me for cheating on him. With Paul of all people. Then again, I haven't seen him for months… At the same time, this could be a HUGE shifter thing. Like Paul said, but who is he to be believed?

He's the one who tried to get me to go over to his house because he had the ghost of the spider I'd killed the week before. Of course I went. Just to laugh and tell him how pathetic his lie was. He seduced me a little, I fought him off a little, and then a ghost appeared. Long story short. Paul's house attracts ghosts like a moth to a light. That's why I stop hanging around there. I actually started to see why he gave up on helping them. It must get annoying. I once had a ghost wake me up in the middle of the night by screaming (remember that, and I went on a wild goose chase with the whole 'vampires exist' thing).

* * *

><p>"Suze. I wasn't expecting you to come," he said. Okay, so I went. I was curious to see what he had up his sleeve next. He bought me a coffee and we sat down at a table facing the window.<p>

"How are you?"

"Cut the crap. What do you want?"

"Yeah, well, a little light chat eases the tension."

"Get on with it."

"When was your last period?"

"PAUL!" But even as I yelled, I wondered. I hadn't had one for ages. I guess it never occurred to me.

"Fine. Did you use protection when you did the dirty?"

"PAUL!" Again. Thinking about it. We didn't… No. I couldn't be. What Paul was trying to say added up. I can't be. No. I'm a mediator. Not that that makes a difference, but a little slack would be nice. He was from the 1850's for crying out loud! Back in those days there weren't any condoms.

"Suze is just getting it."

"Shut up Paul! I can't be!"

"Oh, but you can. Congratulations, Suze. You're having a baby!"

"That might not be it. I haven't done a test." I didn't believe that. After all, I had been sick, missed a couple of periods and didn't use protection. Oh, come on!

"What are we waiting for?"

"Paul, I'm not going to take a pregnancy test with you."

"You'd be the one taking the test. I have it right here." He produced one out of nowhere.

"Why are you doing this?"

"Because I care about you, Suze."

"I mean, why are_ you_ doing this?"

"This is shifter business. I am involved."

I sighed and took the test from his hands and went into the toilets. I never thought this would happen. I am doing a test in the toilets at the coffee clutch with Paul waiting outside. What if I am pregnant? What will happen? Why is Paul so desperate to know? I honestly don't think he's trying to seduce me. Pursuing with a pregnancy test? I don't think so.

This can't be too hard. I closed the cubicle door and sat on the toilet seat (pants on). I slowly read the instructions. Pee on the stick, wait a minute. Hang on! Is this why Paul bought me a large coffee? Gross.

I did the deed. I didn't have sex or poop. That's disgusting, stop thinking that. I mean I took the pregnancy test. I watched the seconds tick by on my watch. 45…44….43… Nice watch. Jesse bought it for me because I was never on time for anything. "Ha bloody ha!" I said when he gave it to me. I really miss. Him. 30…29…28… I wish he was here. Then I could tell him about this and he could hold me and reassure me. Better. He could tell me that he'd always be there. But alas, I have to wait until he comes back. There's no way he'd let me see him. Wait! Minutes up. I look at the little stick. I can't believe that I even for a second thought- aggghhhh! Who's that? They just scared the life out of me.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: Is she really pregnant or did I make it up? Find out in the next chapter. It could be ages, or it could be later today. Watch this space. REVIEW. **

**iheartbooks**


	6. Chapter 6 Jesse?

**A/N: I'd love to say that I have left you desperate to see whether she's pregnant or not, but it's only been about a day.**

**Acknowledgements.**

Peachesbaby- thanks for clearing that up. Suze would've spent ages just going wherever she felt like it without your help. And Jesse would've been in college for the rest of his life.

**Chapter 6- Jesse?**

"Jesse? Is that you?" I called from the 'safety' of my cubicle.

"Yes."

"What are you doing here?"

"Paul called me."

"I know that. What are you doing in the toilets?"

"I couldn't wait any longer. Are you…?"

"Yes."

"Nombre de Dios!" Then there was silence.

"Jesse? Are you alright? I'm coming out." I'd been in there for ages. Okay for three minutes, but it felt like ages. I opened the door and washed my hands. Not exactly the most romantic thing to do after seeing your boyfriend for the first time in two months.

"Querida, I have missed you." I dried my hands and gave him a hug. Mmmm. Jesse. It has been too long. Jesse didn't look that much different, except him haircut. Same style, just maintained. And instead of his usual jeans, which I have been buying tighter and tighter, he was wearing a pair of beige capris. His white t-shirt fit him perfectly and exaggerated his great abs. I repeat. Mmmm. Jesse.

He kissed my forehead. "I'll never leave again. Father Dominic told me you were sick, but I never thought…"

"Neither did I, Jesse."

"Why Paul?"

"He called me. Ironic. Paul told me I was pregnant with your baby."

Jesse laughed and took my hand. We left the toilets hand in hand, much to the dismay of the other women in the restaurant. I almost forgot the effect he had on them. The older women threw us some dirty looks. They must have thought we… In the toilets? As if.

"Suze. So glad you decided to come out. I had to call Jesse here to get you out," Paul joked. I didn't feel like joking.

"Yes, well, pregnancy tests take a while," I replied, smiling falsely. I looked up at Jesse, who had a genuine smile plastered all over his face. To Paul, it screamed 'she's pregnant, with my baby!'.

"Congratulations, Suze. You're having a shifter."

"I thought it skipped a generation," I replied. I know it's cruel, but I was kind of hoping that I wouldn't have to deal with mediator children. As part of that slack I wished I was cut.

"You can both see ghosts, correct?" Paul asked. I knew why myself. It was so obvious.

"Yes," Jesse, said, cautiously.

"Then all of your children will be mediators," Paul said, "except for one."

"That's a relief," I said, half-sarcastic.

"The baby you're carrying; it will be a shifter. A powerful one too."

"Damn it."

"Querida, none of that matters, we're having a baby," Jesse whispered in astonishment. I know how much this means to him, especially as he couldn't when he was alive, alive. So, I simply replied, "boy or girl?"

"A girl. With green eyes, who is just as mischievous as you."

"You know, I have ghosts to exorcise. Call me," Paul said, waving, "see you in a few months."

Then he was gone. I mean, he walked out. We decided not to do anything weird in public. That way we don't get any fingers pointed at us and we aren't burnt at the stake.

For the first time in two months, Jesse and I went home together. I really missed him.

**A/N: Errr… Yeah, it's VERY short. I'm sorry. I really needed to move on. I said I was going to about two chapters ago and I'm still gap filling. We're only going to move about four months to a very pregnant Suze and a worried Jesse. Nothing too far ahead. Review and thanks for reading.**

**I was thinking about improving my summary. I'm not quite sure what to say. If I say Suze gets pregnant after one night with Jesse, etc., then I have ruined the surprise. Let me know what you think and all that.**


	7. Chapter 7 Susannah!

**A/N: Another two in one day! At this rate, the story will be finished in about a week! Which is a terrible shame and all, as I am dreading the end. Though at the same time, I don't want it to drag on forever, which it probably is now. Rather like my A/Ns actually, so, I'll leave you to it.**

**Chapter 7 – **

"Susannah!" Jesse screeched as I tried to undo his jeans button. Yeah, he 'screeched'.

"Jesse," I whined, pouting a little. We haven't had sex for six months. Not since the day we conceived 'Little Shifter'.

We decided to leave the sex of the baby a surprise and we haven't chosen any names. To be honest, we've been busy with life and buying baby stuff. In fact, we haven't even gotten around to telling Mom and Andy. No, that's not true, I just didn't want to. Mom would go all mushy and probably start crying whilst Andy stood there awkwardly. No thanks.

"Susannah. We promised that we wouldn't do it again. Remember? 'Water. Bridge. Under.'?" Jesse quoted back to me. I am really beginning to wish I hadn't said that.

"But, Jesse," I moaned, "I really want to. Really, really, want to. I know you do to." Jesse blushed. It was the whole 'what was going on under his pants' thing. I know I shouldn't have embarrassed him, but I desperately wanted to.

"No."

"But my boobs are huge!" I exclaimed, knowing very well how much Jesse liked them this way.

"That may be," He said, trying to avert his eyes from my incredibly inviting cleavage, "but what about the baby?"

I leaned forward, to allow him to have a better view of said cleavage. I was only wearing a bra. What happened to my sweater anyway? "The doctor said it was fine."

"Even so, Susannah," he started, then the phone began to ring, "I'll get it."

He slid to sit with his legs off the edge of the bed and answered the phone on the bedside table. "Hello?" He said into it. I crawled over to him, and started to kiss his neck from behind. I know what this does to Jesse. "Hi, Mrs. Ackerman." I gently bit his earlobe. He gulped.

"Of course we can have dinner on Sunday." I spread a line of wet kisses down his jawline. His breathing became heavier.

"Yes, yes, it has been a while." I kissed the edge of his lips.

"Has it really been seven months?" I kissed his bare chest and slid my arms around his waist.

"You know what, Mrs. Ackerman? We should save this conversation for Sunday. I really have to go," He said, breathlessly. Then he hung up and turned around to face me. He leaned in real close, lips a mere sheet of paper away from mine. "Come on, we'll be late for your doctors' appointment."

Tease. He got off the bed and went into the bathroom. As he walked, I couldn't help but notice how defined his muscles were. Mmmm. Jesse.

"Boo!" Shouted a voice that neither belonged to me or Jesse.

"Aggghhhh!" I screamed in surprise. I hate it when ghosts do this. Jesse came rushing in, still all topless and everything. Mmmm. Jesse.

"Susannah, is everything alright?" he asked, looking around. Then he noticed the ghost standing in front of us.

"Jesse. You remember Cupid, don't you?"

"Of course. I'll leave you to…mediate." Then he left. Shame that. I wanted to look at his fine abs a little longer.

"How's it going?" Cupid asked, awkwardly.

"Good. Was it you with the aphrodisiac?"

"Yes. Did it work?"

"What do you think?" I gestured towards my ballooning stomach.

"Excellent. I just love to help people." She beamed at me, genuinely proud of herself.

"Just popped by for a visit, did you?"

"Yes, well, no. Not really. I need your help."

"Surprise, surprise. Does anyone ever come for a visit?"

"Sorry. I'll leave if this is a bad time."

"No it's fine. Make yourself at home," she hesitantly sat on the bed, "I'm Suze, the mediator. What can I help you with?"

"I want to fall in love."

"I cannot believe I didn't see this one coming."

"If it isn't too much trouble."

"No, no, not at all. I'll nip up to the Shadowland and ask the gatekeeper if his knows anyone."

"Thank you."

"It's what I do. I'll call you when I find him."

Then she vanished. The gatekeeper and I have become great friends. He's a really nice guy, except when someone doesn't belong there. That's when he gets really mad. There's a flash of light as he kicks them out of the Shadowland. It looks like it would really hurt, because you sort of fall off an edge, but I suppose it is a 'ghostly body'.

I haven't been up there for ages. I'll go now, whilst Jesse's in the shower, and I'll leave him a note. Last time, I woke up in a hospital because he thought I'd passed out.

_Jesse,_

_Gone to Shadowland,_

_See you later._

_Love Suze X_

I closed my eyes, took a deep breath and imagined. I opened them, and there I was. After the first few times, it stopped being creepy and the strange atmosphere almost began to feel like a second home. Almost. There's still that element of unfamiliarity that always sends a shiver down my spine. Not to mention the fact that Paul is constantly up here, talking to a ghost.

"Hey! G.K.!" I yelled, walking towards him.

"Suze! How are you?" He asked, giving me a hug.

"Fine, you?"

"Good, good. It's been a while."

"Do you still see Paul?"

"All the time, but he's not nearly as nice as you."

"It's a shame. He could be keeping you company when I'm too busy."

"Speaking of being busy, you're pregnant!"

"Yeah. Bit of a funny story actually."

"Yeah? I love your funny stories, go on."

"A ghost who calls herself Cupid, appeared in my kitchen one day…" I told him the story, obviously missing out any private bits, "and now she wants to fall in love before she moves on."

"Ironic."

"Do you know any handsome ghosts I could recommend?"

"Actually, Suze, It gets really lonely up here. Can you bring her to me?"

"Yes, of course, no problem."

I was about to leave, when he said, "Suze, I don't want to see you up here as often now that you're pregnant. It's bad for the baby."

"'Little Shifter' is a shifter too. Surely it can handle this."

"It can, but shifting encourages the baby to do the same."

"Really?"

"Be careful."

"I will. I've got to go back. I can't miss being lectured by Jesse. See you later."

"I hope not. Bye, Suze."

I closed my eyes, and then I was back. Jesse was frowning at my note. Damn it! I can't go back to the Shadowland now!


	8. Chapter 8 Decided to come back, have we?

**A/N: Sorry peeps, just an argument. Contains a little bit of background, but mostly skippable, that is, if I had given you a chapter to skip to. Mwa ha ha aha ha!**

**Disclaimer: Did anyone notice that is was missing last time? I think everyone who has read this story knows by now.**

**Acknowledgement:**

**Peachesbaby- I'm glad you liked it, but this chapter won't be nearly as funny. This is where it goes all deep. Beware chapter may drag on.**

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 8 – Decided to come back, have we?<strong>

"Decided to come back, have we?" Jesse asked, not sounding pleased at all.

Not at all. You see, he had this whole, innocent 'even though you just did something dangerous, I'm not mad at you' tone of voice. By now I could see through this completely. I could tell he was really mad due to the fact that his scar was glowing (yes, even though he's not a ghost, it still seems to do that) and he was being sarcastic. Jesse despises sarcasm.

"Errr… I just want on an innocent little trip. You know, to mediate."

"Susannah. Did you take Cupid with you?" As if I'd have the time to write a note if I was exorcising a ghost!

"No, I just needed to see G.K." I replied, trying to sound nonchalant, but I could tell which part of the argument was coming next.

"Susannah! You put our child's life at risk so that you could 'visit' the Gatekeeper?" He yelled.

I squeaked. Even though nothing was shaking, Jesse was still a little intimidating when he was angry.

"Have you any idea how dangerous it is just for you? Never mind the baby you're carrying!" He shouted.

I squeaked again.

"Susannah! You've got to be more responsible!"

I began to cry. I rarely cry, but I was pregnant and Jesse was mad at me! Plus, it wasn't as if I went up there for fun! I was mediating! Helping people! Doing something innocent! It's not my fault I was a little irresponsible! I'm 20 for crying out loud! I tried to control the crying, keep it nice and…well, as attractive as crying could get, but I couldn't help it. The next thing I know, I was wailing and snot was streaming down my face.

Jesse wiped it off with a tissue (gross) and sat down next to me. He cuddled me close then began to rub my shoulders.

"lo siento, Querida," he whispered into my hair, "I just get so worried when you go up there. Especially now that you're carrying a baby. I just wish you'd stop."

"Jesse, I know. I understand how you feel when you come in to find me gone, unconscious even. But I'm a mediator, it's what we do."

"Shifter. It's what _they_ do."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"You go to the Shadowland, with God knows who up there-" Paul, "-and I am left here, worrying, without being able to find you myself. Do you know how _that_ makes me feel?"

"No. I don't. But, you know what? We went over this two years ago. Do you remember that? You said you were okay with it. Being pregnant, with a shifter no less, shouldn't change that." I decided not to mention what G.K. said earlier.

"Susannah. I just want to look out for you. To take care of you." The words I'd wanted him to say. Just not the right moment, or even the right tone of voice.

"I told you that I can look out for myself-"

"Yes, but what about the baby?"

Is he accusing me of not being able to look after my own child? I know I'm young, and sometimes *cough* most of the time *cough* irresponsible, but this is my little son or daughter. I know how serious this is. As much as I hate being 'grounded', I know that it's for the best.

Besides, why would Jesse bring up shifting at a time like this? I remember, two years ago, I went to the Shadowland with Paul and a ghost named Henry (more on that later). When Jesse found our unconscious bodies on the floor together, he tried to come to find me, but he couldn't. That was when I truly understood what Paul meant when he said that we were different. For a while afterwards, it left Jesse feeling inferior, thus hurting his male ego (serious eye-rolling). It also made him insecure. Why was I always there? Why was Paul always involved? It got to the stage where he accused us of having an affair. In response Paul said, "We're Shifters. It's what we do".

I took him up to the Shadowland once, but G.K. said he'd have to kick him out. As he was technically alive on earth, he was no longer allowed to be there. I even pointed out that he was a mediator, but G.K. said his presence felt different to that of mine and Paul's. Thankfully, he let me Shift Jesse back rather than 'kicking' him out. This only made this worse for Jesse, and it took me ages to persuade him that it was alright. Little did I know, he was still resentful.

Look at that. I've completely gone off on a tangent-

"Susannah?" Jesse called, "Are you alright?" I was also staring into space.

"Yeah, sure. Let's go to the hospital."

* * *

><p><strong>AN: This is my third chapter today. It is slightly shorter than normal, but I wanted to see a little more action. Are you getting bored of all this talking? I wish I could just make all the interesting stuff happen, but that would be a summary paragraph. Now look what I've done. I've put off the interesting stuff again. I've got to write about the hospital appointment **_**and**_** the dinner. You can skip them if you want, but that is where I've packed all the humour. Hee hee.**


	9. Chapter 9 You drive like a granny

**A/N: This chapter is the hospital appointment I mentioned. Yeah... Not as much humour as I said, but that's because they go all mushy. I used that word a lot in this chapter...**

**Acknowledgements:**

**Peachesbaby- Thanks for the encouragement. I will try and update everyday so that you have something to look forward to in the morning.**

**Love it- Thank you for reviewing, even it if was anonymous. You should get an account and write stories that you love too.**

Try to enjoy...

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 9 – You drive like a granny<strong>

"You drive like a granny," I muttered as Jesse was stopped at a traffic light. He seemed to be going at five miles per hour today. Honestly. I think the pedestrians were walking faster than the snail's pace at which Jesse was driving.

"What was that, Querida?" He asked, a smile threating to break out across his face.

"Nothing. I was just saying how much I missed Grandma…" I lied, smoothly.

"Oh, of course," he replied.

The traffic light changed to green and Jesse put his foot down. We were going faster than the speed limit would allow. Jesse didn't even slow down for other cars, he just steered around them. I was pressed up against the seat just from the force of it. It's hardly surprising that we reached the hospital five minutes later.

"I drive like a granny, do I?" He's got me there. I'm either going to have to take it back, or, I could just say, "Yes, you do. We'll call that practice one. You know, for when I'm in labour."

I smiled mischievously to show that I was joking. He got out of the car, and then came round to open the door for me, and I waited for him. We had a deal. He could do this for me whilst I was pregnant, or on very special occasions, without me protesting. "Thank you, Jesse," I whispered into his ear, once I had stood up. He shut the door after me. "You're welcome, Querida."

We began to walk towards the hospital, looking like a perfect couple. I fit snugly under Jesse's shoulder, whilst he had his arm around me. Especially because I was pregnant – all that was missing were the matching wedding rings…

"You know, Jesse…"

"Yes, Querida…"

"I always call you Jesse."

"It is my name." I lightly punched him.

"I mean, I don't have a nickname for you."

"Querida, it's fine-"

"From now on, I will call you… Errr… Nothing seems to suit you." Nothing did. Everything I thought of was too impersonal, something other people call their loved ones.

"Jesse _is_ my nickname."

"Yes, but everyone calls you Jesse. Does that mean I should call you 'Hector'?" I knew how much Jesse hated that name. It's on his ID and his documents and stuff, but everyone calls him Jesse. I don't know how his mother went from Hector to Jesse, but it seems to suit his more.

We walked into the hospital, through the sliding doors. I sat down whilst Jesse went up to reception to check us in. He came back and sat next to me.

"No. Definitely not."

"Why not? It is your name. And it would only be fair considering the fact that you call me Susannah."

"I don't, I call you Querida."

"Then I shall call you something in French. Amoureux. That seems about right…"

"What does it mean?"

"What does Querida mean?"

"That's for me to know and you to find out," he replied, tapping his nose (in the international signal to mean 'it's a secret', not in any weird way.)

"Well then, Amoureux, we'll see who cracks first."

"It's a deal." He said, shaking my hand.

"Simon. Susannah Simon." The speaker called from above our heads.

"That's us," Jesse said whilst helping me to get up.

We went into the light green room. It's a nice colour actually, and because this was a new ward, it wasn't dingy or scraped. Might paint Little Shifter's room this colour. I got onto the bed, rather awkwardly with my rotund stomach. We were greeted by a smiling nurse. "Jesse. I didn't know this was your wife. It says Simon here," she said, brightly, gesturing towards the clipboard. She's not a woman Jesse's having an affair with; she's just some woman he works with.

"Jemma, Susannah's not-" Jesse began.

"It all happened so soon, it must have slipped his mind," I said, quickly. I pulled up my sweater so that the whole world could see my bump. Literally. From my angle, lying on the bed, it looked HUGE. "Alright, Susannah, I'm just going to squeeze on this cold gel." Jeez! That stuff was cold!

"Couldn't you have warmed it up a little? That is freezing!" I said. Jesse held my hand, in normal father-to-be fashion. Jemma put the ultrasound thing on my stomach and moved it around. The soft pit-pat of the baby's heart could be heard from the machine. "There's your baby," she said, pointing at an oddly shaped blob. Where? "That's amazing, Querida." Jesse was grinning like an idiot. No, not an idiot, a proud father. God, all this pregnancy is making me all mushy! Kick ass, kick ass! "Jesse," I whispered, making him lower his head, "where is the baby?" He laughed.

"Querida, it is right there, he said pointing at the screen. Now that I look at it, I can see it's head, it's feet and it's little hands, but most of all, it's little chest, moving up and down due to it's heartbeat. "Our Little Shifter," I said, going very mushy.

"Your what?" Asked Jemma. Crap. I forgot about her.

"Err…Shifter… it keeps moving around…" I saved.

"Do you know the sex of the baby?" She asked.

"I think I can tell, but no. We wanted to keep it a surprise," Jesse said. The nurse took away the scanner-thing and wiped of my belly. She walked swiftly out of the room, then back in again. Here's your picture. Another picture for Jesse to stick into his baby book. Sometimes, I think Jesse is a little too excited about this.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: Awww. Isn't that just cute. Next: dinner at the ackermans, with a twist. Ooh - I hope I've gotten you all excited.**


	10. Chapter 10Always nice to see you, DBrad

**A/N: This is the dinner mentioned in chapter 10. So …yeah.**

**I am not going to write a disclaimer. No, not because Meg Cabot is ghost writing for me, I just thought everyone would know by now.**

**Acknowledgements:**

**Nefret8789 – I'm not sure if you meant it that way, but when Suze says "the only thing missing were our matching wedding rings…", she didn't say it in a way that meant she wished Jesse wold propose, just that she'd suddenly noticed the difference between them and the stereotypical couples. When she trailed off, it was as if she didn't want to think about it, because she was patient enough to wait. But now that she's noticed, she's not. Jesse hasn't proposed yet because he's waiting for the right moment, as seen in chapter 11… Thank you for reviewing though.**

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 10 – Always nice to see you, D-Brad<strong>

The day is here. The day when I finally tell my mother that I'm pregnant. I've been dreading this day ever since she made that phone call. If only there was some way of stopping her from getting so over-emotional. I could tell her then suddenly shift. You know those moments when people wish the ground would open up and swallow them? I could shift at those moments. I did once. In front of Jesse. I won't tell you what he caught me doing, but it wasn't too dirty. That's when I woke up in hospital.

I walked up to the house that I lived in for so many 'eventful' years. Most of the times I walked in, it was in the early hours of the morning, dirty, covered in whatever shit happened whilst I was mediating. In the later years, I was fortunate enough to have Jesse drop me off.

Jesse stood beside me and took a deep breath as the door opened to reveal…Dopey. "Oh. Hi Suze," he said, not even trying to hide his disappointment.

"Always nice to see you, D-Brad," I replied, sarcastically.

"Hi Jesse." He then gave him one of those man-hug things.

"Hello Brad."

"Come in," Dopey opened the door wider and stepped aside.

"I intended to," I said as I walked past.

"Suze, why are you walking so weird? What has he been doing to you?" He asked with a smile that lived up to his name. I was wearing a floaty sweater, to stop my bump from being so obvious. I sort of had to sway as I walked to keep it from clinging to my swollen stomach. That and the fact that I was waddling a little produced an incredibly weird way of walking. Sway. Waddle. Swish. Waddle. I might even have looked like a penguin.

"Shut up, D-Brad." Sometimes I don't even know how Andy managed to give him such a name when Dopey clearly suits his character so much more.

"SUUUUUUSSSSIIIIIIIEEEE!" My Mom yelled to the house across the street. Honestly, I'm sure they heard it anyway.

"Mom. It's been ages," I said, more enthusiastically than I was actually feeling.

"Hello, Suze," Andy said from his dark corner across the room. I hadn't even noticed him. I quickly stepped to the side, as if to greet Andy before Mom could give me a hug. Sleepy and Doc came running down the stairs and bounded into the living room. "Err.. Hi, Suze." Doc. Still a bit on the geeky side after all these months. "David, It's been ages!" I was genuinely really happy to see him.

"Jake."

"Suze."

I think Jesse must have greeted the family too, as we then sat down to eat. The table was spread with a lot of tasty-looking food. Or am I just saying that because I'm pregnant? Jesse sat on my right, and Doc on my left. "Suze," he whispered into my ear (am I getting shorter?), "are you… pregnant?"

"Don't tell a soul," I whispered back.

xXx

After the meal finished, the boys cleared up the table, Doc taking my plate specially. He smiled as he did so. Once everyone sat at the table, I gathered up the courage to say, "I'm pregnant."

Jesse smiled and squeezed my hand from under the table. Here it comes.

"SSSUUUUSSSSIIIIEEEE!" I winced. Dopey just grinned. I kicked him hard from under the table.

"Owww!" He yelled. No one paid attention, they were all just staring at mom to see what she'd say next. "This is wonderful! When did it happen? How far along are you?"

"Err… It kind of happened ages ago… I'm six months pregnant." I prepared myself for what was coming next. "Six months? It's been six months and you didn't tell me?" Her voice was still very high. I thought I could feel the glass vibrate in my hand as I took an awkward sip. "Mmm-hmmm." I said, around the glass. A sudden idea! "Jesse! I thought you told her!" I tried so desperately hard to salvage. His hand shot away from mine as if it was suddenly very hot. "Susannah," he said, chuckling, "I thought you wanted to tell them."

"No, Amoureux, I distinctly remember telling you-" I said through gritted teeth.

Jesse noticed the expressions on everyone's faces. "Excuse us." Jesse grabbed my arm and led me upstairs, to my former bedroom. It still looked the same, for those times when I want to stay over.

"Susannah, don't blame this on me. You were the one that didn't want to let them know."

"And with good reason!"

"Now it's even worse! She feels betrayed and upset!"

"If I told her earlier, I would've been the one betrayed and upset!"

"You would've gotten over it! This is something she'll remember forever! How her own daughter didn't want to tell her she was pregnant!"

"I've kept secrets from her before! This one is nowhere near as big as the other one! The one I've been keeping for eighteen years!"

"What secrets?" My mom asked, opening the door.

"Mom, we left the table for a private discussion, not so everyone could eavesdrop."

"Susie, we could hear you from downstairs." Oh, no. I can see it coming. A Talk. One of those with feelings and emotions. We'll both cry in the middle and then laugh at the end just as Andy walks in. I've seen many movies with such a scenario and this wasn't about to happen to me.

"Sorry, mom, I'm just feeling a little stressed." As soon as I said it, I instantly wanted to take it back. Every mother's automatically says, "Stress is bad for the baby."

"I know mom, it just doesn't seem to go away."

"It normally does, Susie. When you're stressed, you always faint and then wake up feeling happy."

Jesse stifled a giggle at the word faint, but straightened up once I shot him a death glare. "I'll just leave you to it," he said, winking on his way out. Merde.

"Susannah, you said you've been keeping secrets," mom prompted.

"You're not ready for that one, believe me."

"Can I decide when I'm ready?"

"Nope. With a secret as big as this, I'll be the judge."

"Of course, sweetie, when you're ready."

I tried not to sigh. She just wasn't getting it. She's not ready to handle The Secret. The fact that I'm a shifter. She'll never understand, then there'll be all the questions and she'll keep asking me whether I 'sense a presence' or she'll publicize it. Worse. She'll do both. People from all over the world will come to see me, and ask me to talk to their dead people. My worst nightmare, when ALL people, living and dead come to bother me about the other. To avoid another horrible conversation, I just said, "Of course."

At that moment, Jesse came back into the room. "What are you grinning about?"

"Nothing." He probably just heard that whole conversation.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: That bit on the end there about Jesse may seem out of place, but it's there for a reason. See you in the next chapter.**


	11. Add in Chapter 10

**A/N: Here's what I was talking about in the (sort of) previous chapter. Sorry i't's been so long for such an insignificant chapter. The next chapter will be more worth it, I promise.**

**Disclaimer: I would not be wrinting on FanFic if I were Meg Cabot, would I?**

* * *

><p><strong>Add in Chapter 10 – Jesse's POV.<strong>

"I'll just leave you to it," I said, leaving the room. I knew now was the time to give them some privacy, but I also knew that Susannah wouldn't like it. She glared at me as I left. I was in trouble now.

I went to the bathroom down the hall. I'll spare you the details, but whilst I was washing my hands, Susannah's dad appeared. At first, I just looked up and saw his reflection, which frightened the life out of me. Now I know why Susannah was so annoyed whenever a ghost did this to her.

"Jesse," he said, in HIS 'seems perfectly nice, but really, he's very angry with you' voice.

"Mr. Simon. I didn't expect to see you, especially not here of all places." He doesn't like it here, because it reminded him too much of the fact that his wife had moved on. Or so Susannah told me. He sighed and ran his hands through his hair. "Jesse, I thought you were different." Do I not differ greatly from the rest of the male population?

"What do you mean, sir?" I'm caring, loving and attentive, which is more than I can say from Susannah's other boyfriends.

"You've impregnated my daughter." I see now. From an outsider, that may seem a little forward. Not only did I…We…You know, but I caused a pregnancy. Out of wedlock. That must look really bad.

"Oh, that. I'm deeply sorry, sir. I hope I have not put shame on your family." In my day, such actions were enough to have you shunned from society (A/N: were they?).

"Not only that, but you left her straight afterwards."

"I did not know that she was with child at the time, sir." If I'd know right away, I'd have stood by her, no matter what happened between us.

"Even so, Jesse. She was lonely, and she kept calling me whilst you should've been there." I never thought of that. I always thought Susannah would go out with her friends or work or just 'hang out' whilst I wasn't there.

"I-I had no idea."

"Jesse, Susannah loves you deeply …"

"I know that, sir. I love her too, with all my heart. I plan to propose, once the baby is born."

"Why wait?" What was holding me back?

"In all honesty, Mr. Simon, I've been planning to propose for years, but I just haven't had the courage. I just kept putting it off, telling myself that I will next time."

"What's there to be afraid of?" I thought hard about this. Nothing. Not really.

"She could turn me down."

"I know Susannah well enough to know that she would never do that to you. Besides, even if she did say no, she would never leave you. Take it from someone that has been with her all of her life; proposing would be a VERY good idea."

I couldn't help it, I began to smile. "Does this mean that I have your blessing?"

"Of course you do, Jesse."

"Thank you, Mr. Simon."

"Oh, and you don't have to be so formal – I like you already," he replied, before dematerializing. Such a nice man. I can see why her mother mourned him for so many years, and why Susannah never fully let him go…

I walked back into the room, still grinning like an idiot. Next week, I will propose, and Susannah will be my wife.

"What are you grinning about?" She asked me, eyebrow raised.

"Nothing," I replied, mysteriously.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: So Jesse is going to propose. Will he do it? Will he do it in the next chapter? (doubt it)**

**And things might get a liitle weird due to some very influencial books I've been reading. Bad books!**

**And REVIEW.**

**Love ya, **

**Iheartbooks**


	12. Chapter 11 Baseball

**A/N: I have returned with an action-packed chapter. I forgot to say, in this version, to state the obvious, Suze's Dad hasn't moved on. Anyway, have fun! Review, readers! I had a look at my stats and I'm getting at least 15 hits a day, but far less readers!**

**Chapter 11 (Back to Suze's POV) Baseball**

There's nothing like a nice bright day with your family. The guys, Jesse, Dopey, Doc, Sleepy and Andy were playing baseball whilst me, mom and Sleepy's latest were sunbathing. I had on my favourite pair of sunglasses and was reclining on a sun lounge.

"How's the baby?" Mom asked.

"It's been a day since the last scan and you were there," I stated.

"I mean, how are you feeling?"

"Great!"

The guys started cheering and Jesse ran over to me. He took my hand and pulled me onto my feet into his arms. He was leaning in to give me a kiss when I said, "Ewww. You're all sweaty."

I pretended to grimace in disgust. "Well then I'll have to take my shirt off, won't I?" He then proceeded to become "Jesse DeHotness". I couldn't help staring at his fine abs, probably drooling all over myself. Jesse noticed where I was looking and chuckled. "Do you want to play, Querida?"

"No."

"Just one hit." He pouted. It must have been the hormones, but I succumbed instantly.

"Only if mom runs for me."

At the mention of her name, mom was standing to attention like a meerkat.

"Come on, mom! I'll hit and you run."

"And I'll bowl." Jesse added.

I walked up to the batting spot, and held my bat, ready to hit further than any other hit today. Mom was poised behind me, ready to run. Jesse nodded his head – I am not to be distracted by his abs- and pitched. I swung as hard as I could and it went flying …straight into Jesse's groin. Dopey stifled a laugh and Sleepy covered his with a cough. Doc and Andy grimaced, telling me that, yeah, it hurt.

I ran over to Jesse and knelt down where he was rolling around on the grass, hands on groin. He cried out on pain. I laughed. Jesse never cries out in pain. "Are you alright, Amoureux?" I asked between giggles.

"No," he squeaked. Everyone gave up trying not to laugh.

After about five minutes, Jesse got up and dusted himself down. The laughter had died down, and then Jesse walked away. Did it really hurt that much? My bad. Maybe not, Jesse came back with a bucket full of water. I know it was full because he carried it in both hands towards me. I looked around for and escape. All doors were closed and the back gate was locked. I'd never be able to run there and open them before it was too late.

"Amoureux, do you really want to do this?"

"Yes, it seems like a good idea."

"Even whilst I'm pregnant?" The hose! Of course! Why didn't I think of that before? I started to back away towards it and Jesse started walking too.

"Yes."

"With your baby?" Running out of stall.

"Yes."

"You know I love you, right?"

"Of course, I love you too." I reached the wall, the hose was a mere 4 feet away. Jesse was 8 feet away from me and still coming closer. Fortunately, he'd forgotten to turn off the hose. It was still dripping, waiting. "It looks as if you're stuck, Querida."

"Not quite." I did a classic movie dive towards the hose at the same time that Jesse ran towards me. I pressed the button to release a stream of water from the hose just as Jesse threw his bucket of water. The result two soaked tweens, one pregnant, the other fit. Once Jesse looked soaked to my satisfaction, I let go of the button. We both looked at each other and laughed. I was vaguely aware of my mascara running down my face, and very aware of how heavy Jesse's jeans had become due to the water. Everyone else joined in the laughter. I had almost forgotten they were there. Where were they when I was getting wet?

Jesse DeHotness gave me a look and knew instantly what it meant. He offered me his hand and pulled me up. Everyone stared at us. And then I held up the hose, like a gun and soaked them all. Dopey and sleepy pulled out super soakers from behind their backs and started shooting back. Jesse stood in front and protects me whilst I shot from behind him. Doc, Andy, Mom and Sleepy's sleaze – I mean squeeze (I can never remember their names), ran to find anything that could hold water. The super soakers ran out of water, and the boys went to find cover as well as another source of water.

Jesse tugged on my arm and led me to kneel down behind a thick bush. I know, a thick bush in the middle of a garden? It was part of a plan to divide the garden into various sections – relaxing, playing, pool, etc., but we decided that it should all be one area for space when playing. Only this bush remained.

I filled Jesse's bucket of water, ready for action. Then we waited. I stood up to look over the bush. "There's a cardboard box at two o'clock."

"Ready?"

"Ready." We kissed briefly before standing up and shooting the box. It's cardboard, it must fall apart eventually. Dopey and Sleepy exploded from the sides and started squirting dyed water at us. Dammit! I'm going to be blue tomorrow! The gun ran out of water so they hid behind their cardboard box. Doc and Andy ran past and threw a bucket of red water over us. Jesse threw his over them. We didn't predict that Dopey and Sleepy would think to carry extra ammo, but they did, so, Doc, Andy, Jesse and I were soaked in green water by the time they ran out. Where do they get all this colouring from? Mom and Sleepy's slea-squeeze were nowhere to be seen.

"Stop!" I yelled. Dopey threw a bucket of yellow water at me. "First of all, please tell me that's not pee."

Dopey grinned. "Not pure. It was diluted."

"That is disgusting. Anyway, second of all, where are mom and…what's her name." Everyone looked at Sleepy. "I don't know," he said. Man-whore.

Before anyone could say anything else, mom came out with two buckets (who has THAT many buckets and for what?) of an orange mixture of flour and water. The squeeze came behind with just one, which she immediately dumped over sleepy. "Carrie!" She yelled, before she stomped away. Sleepy shrugged his shoulders. "A good lay," he said. Mom glared at him, before throwing her first bucket over him. "Go to your room!" She yelled.

I looked at Jesse, and he nodded. We raised our hands above our heads. "We surrender," he said. Doc, Andy and Dopey did the same. Mom gave us all the evil eye before turning to Andy. "Help me!" He yelled, running away.

"Sorry, Dad, no can do," Dopey said.

"We've got to go change," I said, leading Jesse back towards the house.

Doc stood awkwardly for a moment and then he said, "Me too."

From my room, I watched out the window as mom dumped the stuff on Andy, and then he gave her a hug. When they started making out, I looked away. Jesse had volunteered to get into the shower first. When he came out, he was still slightly discoloured. I laughed. "It just wouldn't come out," he said, "your turn."

I went in and showered, scrubbing as hard as I could to remove the food dye, but like Jesse's it remained. When I came out, Jesse was still in his towel. "I just remembered that I don't have a change of clothes," he said. I smiled, walking towards him. He pulled me into him and we kissed. Whilst Jesse's hands were wondering, he "accidentally" undid my towel. It fell to the floor, leaving nothing between us but his towel. As his hands began to move towards my breasts, mine slid down his stomach and undid his towel. Before it could slip down, he grabbed it and held it to stop it from falling. We broke apart.

"I'll see if Jake has any clothes for you." I walked towards my drawers, where I kept a spare supply of clothes. I put on some underwear, then turned towards the wardrobe, where Jesse was frozen, ogling me. "I'm going to take another shower," he said, not at all discreet about the bulge under his towel.

Once we were dressed, we said goodbye and left. Jesse drove us home, but he didn't turn off. "Jesse, you missed the turning."

"No I didn't."

"Yeah, you did."

"That wasn't our turning."

"Yeah, it was."

"We're going somewhere else."

"Where."

"Es una sorpresa."

**A/N: Where are they going? Is Jesse going to propose? Will Suze go into labour? Is this where the story ends? On this cliff-hanger? Nah, I'm not that cruel. Dammit, I've already said too much.**

**Iheartbooks.**


	13. Chapter 12 Dematerializing

**A/N: Thank you to my reviewers, and reluctantly to my readers who didn't review. Keep reading - it makes me happy! Reviewing makes me happier!**

**Chapter 12 - Dematerializing**

* * *

><p>Jesse took me a restaurant. Not a fancy restaurant, we weren't dressed for it. I had squeezed my huge stomach into a bright blue tank top and was wearing a pair of denim shorts. Jesse was wearing a top that he insisted was too tight and a pair of jeans that even I thought were tight.<p>

We walked into Frankie and Benny's, and looked around. It was pretty much deserted. I suppose it was because we had arrived at an off-peak time. The waitress that came to seat us automatically started checking Jesse out, she clearly didn't notice my death glares. I almost instinctively started growling, but before I could, we were seated at a table.

I started looking through my menu, and Jesse sat and watched intensely. In fact, it was rather off putting. I put down my menu to look at him. "Aren't you going to order?" I asked.

"Susannah," he held my hands in his, "I love you, and-" He stopped and stared at me.

"What?"

"You're…dematerializing."

"I'm what?" I looked at my hand. It was translucent. I was shifting.

"Susannah, where are you going?"

"I don't know," I cried.

"Stay with me, Susannah." I couldn't. I was shifting and I couldn't stop. I noticed a kid at the next table staring at me, so I stuck my tongue out at him. He turned around. I was only barely staying there with my own power, but, the shifting was inevitable.

"Let go!" I yelled to Jesse, panicking.

"No! You don't know where you're going and you might be in danger. I want to protect you."

"Jesse, you'll never survive."

"How do you know?" I can't believe he put me in that situation. I know what I'm going to say, he knows what I'm going to say. Hell, even you might know what I'm going to say. I said it anyway. "You're not a shifter." Jesse slowly released my hands. He gave me one last look before I left, unable to hold off any longer.

xXx

When I opened my eyes, I knew at once exactly where I was. It was a time, not a place; the 1850's. This didn't look like Carmel. I walked over to a sign post made from wood. De Silva. This is where Jesse lived.

I know I should've gone back. Shifted straight to Jesse, but curiosity got the better of me. I started walking down the long track towards the house. Shit. I just remembered. I'm dressed even worse than I was last time. I must look as if I'm walking around in my underwear to them. Jesse's family will never let me in.

I turned around and began to walk back, but then I came up with a plausible lie. The evil man, Paul – I mean, Pablo tried to rape me and stole all of my clothes, so I ran away.

When I got to the house, one of Jesse's sisters opened the door. She looked about sixteen and was wearing a dress that covered her from the neck downwards. She was waving a fan like mad and looked quite flushed. She looked at my ensemble, and then glared. "Who are you?" She asked. I can't blame her for being so rude; after all, I looked like a prostitute.

"I was just looking for some help…" I told her the lie. Her eyes widened in shock and disgust.

"Come in, come in. Mama! Tenemos una mujer que quiere nuestra ayuda!" I knew what it meant. She said: 'we have a woman that wants our help'. I thanked God for the generosity of the De Silva's.

Senora De Silva came rushing down the stairs, saying stuff in Spanish, especially as she saw me. Jesse's sister quickly told her my story, but in Spanish too fast and too fluent for me to understand.

"¡Que triste! You may stay here and have some clothes. What is your name?"

"Susannah." I didn't think that Suze would go down too well.

"Well, Susannah, I'm Carla and this is my daughter, Mercedes."

"Thank you."

"You're welcome. Mercedes, give her a dress to wear. Perhaps one of Marta's."

Mercedes led me up the stairs to Marta's room. Everything was made of wood and, well, old fashioned. It was incredible. She walked straight over to the wardrobe and opened it.

"Where are you from?" She asked, looking at the dresses.

"Up north." I said, being non-committal, after all, I don't know where I am or which populations they discriminate against.

"Why are you here?" She took out a nice dress.

"I wanted to get as far away from Pau-Pablo as possible."

"Entiendo. Put this on. It shouldn't be too hot." She left, so that I could get changed.

I put on the dress over my shorts and tank top, so that I wouldn't leave them here. I walked across the room and looked out the window. There was an endless stretch of farmland, with crops and livestock. "Susannah. Lunch is ready!" Carla yelled. I walked down the stairs and into the dining room. It smelt wonderful, like the food Jesse had cooked for me. Carla turned around and looked at me. "You look very pretty, Susannah. Sit down, the others are coming."

I hesitantly took a seat next to Mercedes. She hadn't taken a bite out of her food. "It smells wonderful," I said, trying to ease the tension.

"Yes, Mama is a good cook. She likes being in the kitchen."

Just then, Jesse and his other sisters walked through the door. This was very unlike me and my brothers, who usually fight to get to the table first. I looked a Jesse, who looked younger. He was probably about 20 or 21. The age he was when he died. Jesse looked at me, but like he didn't recognise me. That may have something to do with the fact that he didn't…

"This is Susannah, she is staying with us. Susannah, this is Marta, Josefina, Carmen, Isabella and Hector." I saw Jesse flinch at being called Hector. I was greeting by a series of 'nice to meet you', and then we had lunch.

After lunch, I helped to clear the table with Jesse. It was the least I could do to thank them for their hospitality I'd told them. "Susannah, we should go for a walk." Really, so soon?

"Sure, Hector." We waked outside, and into the nearest field.

"You're not from around here, are you?"

"No, I'm from up north," I replied, sticking to my story.

"So, why did you come here?"

"I was running away from a bad man."

"But why HERE? With my family?"

"No se. I guess I just wanted to meet you."

"Me? How do you know who I am?"

"I know your cousin, Maria. She told me you were engaged." My lies are becoming more and more elaborate.

"So you're a friend of Maria's?"

"No. I could never be friends with that _puta_."

"Maria can be a bit of a handful, I guess."

"Anyway, I have to go."

"Go? But you only just got here. Stay for a little longer." I couldn't exactly tell him that a future him was waiting for me…

"I can't. My…friend is expecting me."

"At least until the day after the party. It will be fun."

"I'm sorry, Jesse, my friend will worry if I don't arrive on time." That was true. Jesse was already going to blow his top about the fact that I'd altered the time-space-continuum, add on the fact that he hadn't seen me for days and we were going to have a fun-scale explosion.

"You called me Jesse." Shit. He looked so much like My Jesse, sitting at home, I just forgot.

"You look a lot like someone I know." Yeah, himself.

"My mother calls me Jesse." He looked thoughtful for a moment. I haven't got time for him to think.

"I can't wait any longer. I'll come back and visit sometime." I wondered how many days, weeks, months until he died.

Before he could chase after me, I ran deep into a corn field and shifted. I thought of Jesse, in our apartment, waiting for me. I heard footsteps behind me and turned around to see Jesse- I mean, Hector looking at me. Dammit! This isn't going to wash down well.

"Susannah?" I gave a weak wave and smiled.

I shifted straight into the bedroom. Jesse wasn't there. It was dark outside. I looked at the clock at saw the time. Half one in the morning. He needs his sleep for his studies. I walked out and down the miniature corridor to the living room. No Jesse. I walked into the kitchen. Jesse was sitting with a glass of red wine, eyes bloodshot. You see, if I had listened to Hector, It would've been a hell of a lot worse.

"Jesse?"

"Susannah!" Not Querida. This isn't good.

"I'm back!" Understatement.

"You were gone for hours!" He stood up and hugged me, covering my face with kisses. I dread to think what he would do to me when this phase ends. And not in the dirty way either.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: This chappie was a little longer. I hope you enjoyed it 'cuz you're not getting another one! I kid of course. How could I resist the temptation to update. REVIEW!**

**Love ya,**

**Iheartbooks.**

**P.S. I forgot my cliff-hanger questions. Will Suze ever go back? Will she tell Her Jesse the truth about where she went? Will she tell Hector the truth about who she is? Will Jesse ever get to propose? There is only one person Suze can talk to now, and she's not going to like it. Or will she – a little too much? Watch this space for more updates!**


	14. Jesse's story

**Jesse's Story.**

**A/N: Hey, did you miss me? Well sorry to disappoint, but this isn't more story, its Jesse's side from when he went a way for two months after they… Yeah, remember that? Have you seen my cover? Yeah, I know it's terrible, but I got excited and wanted to do something. Review.**

**Disclaimer: I'm reluctant to disclaim anything. I've been working on this story and thinking about what else to do with their lives for so long, but, alas, the characters aren't mine.**

**Chapter…yeah, they're kinda messed up at the moment. Call this another fill in.**

I sat at the edge of the bed at Father Dominic's contemplating my entire life/ death. In my hands, I held a beautiful ring for Susannah. I was going to propose, soon, but then we made love and things changed. I found myself wanting more, but knowing that I must wait. It was not to happen until we were married and I knew that, but that night, I just couldn't control myself. Susannah had just made a wonderful dinner, and she was looking muy hermosa in her outfit. I just think that it was mostly me. Mostly my fault. I could've stopped it from happening; in fact, I'm the reason it did happen. It was a slip up, which I can't afford to have anymore. Not now that I've been given this second chance at life. I want to do it right. I have to marry Susannah. Unfortunately, before I can do that, I must build up the courage to ask her to marry me.

I opened the little black box holding the ring. I knew she would like it, if she was ready to marry me, of course. I know she does someday wish to be my wife, I just don't know what day. If I keep waiting, than maybe the timing will be right. I don't know how long to wait. I've been impatient. It's only the fact that I haven't the guts to ask that's been keeping me for all these years. I never go to see Susannah without this ring – just in case the moment comes. It's silver with a modest diamond in the middle. In the shop, they told me that the style showed eternal love, which is what made me buy it.

I close the box and put it on the bedside table. One day, it will be on Susannah's finger. Father Dominic knocked on the open door and walked in to sit beside me.

"Susannah wants to see you. She misses you terribly Jesse – I mean, you've been here for two months now. You've got to go back sometime."

"Not yet, Father. I'm not ready."

"You don't need to propose yet; you can just go back to her."

"I need to propose. I know I do; it will make things better."

"Susannah has a stomach bug at the moment. You could go back and nurse her back to health." It pained me to think of Susannah ill, by herself, with no one to make sure she goes to the hospital and eats well. But I can't go back yet. I needed time.

"Tell her that she must go to a hospital and have it checked out."

"I keep telling her, but she doesn't listen to me."

"Father, I need to tell you the real reason why I can't go back."

"If you feel ready."

"The night before I came here, Susannah and I made love." I pause for it to sink in.

"Please continue, Jesse."

"We were under the influence of drugs given to us by a ghost. I don't want that to be the only time, Father. That is why I must propose. I knew moving in would create problems, especially sharing a bed, but I trusted Susannah and she trusted me. It was a risk I shouldn't have taken. I must have at least proposed to her before we move back in together. It's the right way. I'm sorry, for being a burden, Father, but it's something I must do."

"You're not a burden, Jesse. It's a pleasure having you here. What you must understand is that Susannah trusts you – it's you who doesn't trust yourself. She's not upset about the…erm… you know, but about the fact that you moved away from her."

"I'm doing this for her, and for the sanctity of our marriage."

"No, not anymore. You're doing this for yourself, because you feel that you've done something wrong. No one else thinks that."

"I'm going to go for a walk, to gather my thoughts."

xXx

"De Silva. It's been a while."

On my 'pleasant' walk, I was greeted by Paul Slater of all people. I'd half hoped I'd see Susannah. This just confirmed that I wouldn't.

"Slater."

"So…What's going on?"

"None of your business."

"Have you proposed to Suze yet?"

"No." Why did I ever tell him that I was planning to propose?

"A little birdy told me that things weren't so good in paradise."

"Which 'little birdy'?"

"Now that would be telling. I hear you've moved out. Does this mean she's up for grabs?"

"No. We're just taking a break from each other. That's all"

"How long has it been?"

"Two months"

"Good. So she'll be needy and desperate."

"If you lay one finger on her-"

"Relax. It wasn't my finger I planned to use." That was it. I took him by the neck and held him up against a wall. He was shorter than me, so his feet barely touched the ground.

"You," I pointed at him, "do not go near Susannah."

"Why? Is she super horny because she's not getting any from you?" I tightened my grip.

"No. She's just gotten too much from me." I don't know where that came from. I make a point of keeping our business a secret, especially from Paul Slater. This time, I just couldn't help it. With the thought of what I'd just done- betrayed one of our secrets- I'd loosed my grip around Paul's neck. He used it to his advantage and wriggled free.

"Are you saying that you and Suze…had sex?"

I looked away to hide my expression, but that action alone was all he needed.

"Jesse, you dark horse," he thumped me on the back, "well done."

I couldn't help but smile; he made me feel as if I'd achieved something. It wasn't a smile actually; it was more of a smirk. I had Suze and he didn't. As soon as that thought crossed my mind, I stopped smiling. I was becoming more like him just from his presence.

"Susannah is not a trophy to be won, nor an object to obtain. She's my…girlfriend, soon to be fiancée. Don't talk about her like that."

"Alright."

"Susannah's not well right now. It wouldn't be a good time to disturb her."

"She's not well?"

"Stomach bug."

"I'll pay her a visit, take her some-" He trailed off. His face paled.

"Take her some…what, Paul?"

"Never mind that. Did you use protection when you…made love?"

"Protection?"

"That's what I thought. I call you."

Then he ran off down the road and climbed into his expensive car. What was that all about?

xXx

**A/N: Did you like that? I kind of didn't know what to do for chapter 13, so I thought I'd give you this because it's been so long. I was also thinking about telling some of what happened in the 4 month gap when Suze was pregnant. Just until I know what to do. Review!**

**Iheartbooks.**


	15. Chapter 13 Really, Paul?

**A/N: Hello? Are you there? I know you're there, but you're just not REVIEWING. Here is the next chapter. I hope you like it. You've got to tell me if something doesn't make sense, I got excited and couldn't wait to post it.**

**Disclaimer: You know the drill.**

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 13- Egypt? Really, Paul?<strong>

Eventually, Jesse stopped kissing me and loosened his hold. He looked at me and then hugged me again.

"I missed you, Susannah! Where were you? How is the baby? What happened?" He still hadn't let go of me.

"Jesse, if you let me breathe…" He reluctantly let me go. He must have been really worried. I looked at him and took in his entire appearance. Aside from the red eyes, the messy hair, the tear-stained cheeks, he was looking just like the Jesse I knew. Then, I realized that I had missed him too.

"Jesse, I went-" I was cut off as Paul appeared next to me.

"I came as soon as I could," he said, gasping for breath.

"Really? Susannah has been gone for hours and you could only come now?" Jesse grabbed Paul by the collar and brought him off his feet. He backed him against a wall. I was afraid he was going to punch him. As much as I hated Paul, he really had changed this time. I put my hands on Jesse's shoulder and he released him. Paul slumped to the floor, surprised by the sudden release. "I'm sorry, Querida. I was just so worried and then he-" he points towards Paul.

"It's not me you need to apologise to," I replied, softly. Paul had picked himself up off the floor and dusted himself off. He was now pretending to look at his phone.

"I'm sorry…Paul." They shook hands. Paul turned to me.

"Suze, we need to go."

"Go? Where? Now?" I asked. I'd only just got here and I was hoping Jesse and could…prove how much we missed each other.

"Susannah's not going anywhere." Jesse put his arm around me, possessively. I love it when he does this, even though I would never admit it to him. Paul looked at me. His arm reached towards me as if to take my hand.

"Suze." I stepped out of Jesse's embrace.

"Where?"

"Through time." Before I could ask any more questions, he'd grabbed my hand and we'd gone. Douche.

* * *

><p>When I opened my eyes, Paul was still holding my hand. I looked around. Where the hell were we? I snatched my hand away from his. "Paul?"<p>

"Yeah?"

"Where the hell are we?" Only I didn't say hell…I looked around at my surroundings. It was very yellow and very dusty. No, it was sandy. The hot sun beating down on my back made me turn around. Holy shit! We were in Egypt!

"Egypt? Really, Paul?"

"Suze, we haven't got much time." He took my hand and started running towards the pyramid.

"Wait! Paul! Stop!" I tried to wrench my hand out from his, but he just held it tighter.

Before anyone could question us, we'd ducked inside the pyramid and had quickly found an explorer who looked vaguely familiar. I say explorer because he was wearing one of those outfits with one of those hats.

"Dr Slaski?" Paul asked.

"Yes," the man replied.

"Tell us about the hieroglyphs and markings on this wall," Paul said.

"Are you…one of them…like me?" Dr Slaski asked, his voice lowering to a whisper.

"A shifter?"

"Sssshhhhh! They'll have you locked up in an asylum for using that word."

"We're…mediators," I said.

"Good." He stepped to the side to show us the markings. They were unbelievable. The more I looked at them, the more I was able to see the similarities between them and what was happening to me.

"You're pregnant, aren't you?" Dr Slaski asked. I could only nod to reply.

"You are here." He pointed to one of the women. Hold on. Me? There? I don't think so. But the drawing did look vaguely like me. It had my hair, tied back in a ponytail, my emerald eyes and my baby bump. The drawing even had me wearing jeans, nothing like what the Egyptians wore.

"There's no way that could be me!" Even as I said it, I knew it was more unlikely than it not being me.

"Shall we have a look at the story of your pregnancy?" Dr Slaski asked. I nodded. He slid his hand to the right, hovering just above the wall. "That is the 'rebirth' of your partner, correct?" I couldn't believe it. There looking hot, even as an ancient Egyptian doodle was my Jesse. I stood open-mouthed for a while, before realizing that Dr Slaski was expecting a reply.

"Yes, that's Jesse." He moved his hand over to a bit that looked like the spirits were messing with…well…the conception. I wasn't exactly pleased about this picture, I mean, it shows anyone who comes to see it Jesse and I doing it. Gross. "Paul. Stop staring," I joked.

"Don't flatter yourself, honey," he joked back. Dr Slaski cleared his throat. He pointed to a picture closer to the end, after the images of me disappearing and appearing in different places. Even after I'd had the baby (not a very nice picture). After that I wasn't in the pictures anymore.

"I'm not in anymore pictures. Does that mean I die?" I asked, seriously worried.

"Such vanity. No it just means that the story isn't about _you_ anymore," Paul said.

"This is a picture of your child gaining life/essence after helping a ghost move on. Your child is, sustained by the amount of ghosts it helps. There must be a balance between helping and travelling. Travelling too much can make this child a ghost. Helping too much can make it live forever in eternal youth."

"What would be so bad about eternal youth?" I asked. I mean, I quite fancied that myself.

"It depends when your youth is," Paul replied, "Youth doesn't always mean young, Suze."

"There was another story around here…" Dr Slaski said.

"No. She doesn't want to see that one," Paul said, glaring at him.

"I do. Does it involve me?"

"Now look at what you've done! You've said too much!" Paul yelled at the old man.

"You know about the other story, don't you?" I asked him.

He looked away. "Suze, we're leaving." He grabbed my arm and we faded away. Something about that story creeped him out. I could sense it. Wait a minute! I could sense it! I prodded at Paul's…essence. "Stop it, Suze. I'm not going to tell you." He seemed grim, so I let it go. When we got back to the apartment, we landed on the bed, me on top of Paul. All I could remember was him saying, "Sorry," before we both passed out.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: What is Paul not telling Suze? Will we ever find out? What was in that other story? What do you think was in the other story? REVIEW. Love ya,**

**Iheartbooks.**


	16. Chapter 14

**Chapter 14.**

Jesse was looking at me. In fact, he was glaring at me. And Paul. Lying on the bed. On top of one another. Paul groaned. He tried to heave himself up, but stop when he realized where he was, and who was on top of him. "Now really isn't a good time to be on top of me," he joked.

"There is never a good time for me to be on top of you," I replied. Jesse tensed, so I rolled off him. All of my muscles ached. UGH.

"Sorry about that, Suze. I was too tired to control the landing. Next time, I promise to make us land in a better position."

"There won't be a next time, Slater," Jesse said. He was really mad. His scar was glowing and his eyebrow was twitching. I'd never seen him look so angry. This wasn't good.

"How long have we been out?" Paul asked, still light, despite Jesse's hostility.

"A month," he said, his expression unchanging.

"A whole month? Are you kidding me?" I yelled, outraged. I was seven and a half months pregnant already.

"I took on some of your fatigue so that we could travel. I could've been a lot longer, Suze," Paul said, rationally. He was a really nice guy when he wasn't trying to pursue me.

"Thanks, Paul." I tried to get up off the bed, but my legs felt like jelly. I would've fallen in a heap on the floor had Jesse not come to support me. "You can stay here until you're feeling well again," I told him. It might be my hormones, but I now have a soft spot for him.

"He's not welcome here," Jesse said, not having a soft spot.

"All of our friends are welcome here," I replied, giving him an angry glare of my own. Paul has done me a favour here. Without him, I would've had the baby without being conscious.

"It's fine, Suze. I can shift back."

"No. I'll drop you off," I said, "it's the least I can do."

"Thanks, but no thanks. You're too weak." He was right. Jesse had taken me up in his arms, because it was easier than supporting the dead weight I'd become.

"I'll come to visit, then; when I'm feeling up to it."

"You do that." Before I could invite him to stay for breakfast, he'd gone.

"Jesse. I've missed you." I tried to give him a hug, but my arms wouldn't obey.

"Not now, Susannah. You must rest. I'll get you some soup. Stay there."

I wasn't going anywhere like this. I couldn't even move to a more comfortable position. Even with what Dr Slaski had told me, I could only think about what Paul hadn't. What was in that other story that stopped him from telling me? If I could even gather up the strength to call him, I would.

Jesse came back with my soup. It was tomato and it was really hot. I tried to lift my arm to be able to pick up the spoon and feed myself, but it refused. Jesse saw my effort and picked up the spoon.

"I'll feed you, Susannah," he said, exasperated.

"I'm sorry, Jesse," I said, sensing that he was still mad, "I didn't mean to leave you for so long."

He sighed. "It's not you I'm mad at. It's Paul. He took you away from me and made you into this." He gestured towards me. I was offended, but he had a point.

"It was important that he took me. I understand that now and so should you."

"What was so important that it couldn't wait a few days? Why did he have to take you that day? If you'd been able to recover from the other travelling you'd done, we wouldn't be sitting here now with you in this state. I had to look after you both. For a month, Susannah. I had to keep checking your pulse, because I was worried you might have died."

"I know-"

"No. You don't know. It was hard for me, Susannah. Each time I moved you, you would cuddle up to _him_."

"I didn't know. But you think I didn't worry where you were when you left me here for two months? I was pregnant, Jesse! I was sick and I needed you! You could've come back to me! I was in a coma for less than that! I wanted to come to you! I wanted to tell you what happened, but I couldn't! But you, you just didn't come back to me." I was in tears now. I'd never told him how much it hurt when he left. I'd never told him about the weeping and how many days off I had to take because I was ill.

"Susannah, I know it hurt you, but it hurt me too-"

"Why didn't you come back, Jesse?" I was bitter and enraged.

"I couldn't!"

"Why not?"

"I…just couldn't!"

I looked at him. He didn't look at me. Something was up. Something had happened, or there was just something he wasn't telling me. Jesse was keeping a secret from me! Jesse never kept secrets from me! Did he have an affair?

"What are you not telling me?" I asked, my voice more gentle. I'd tried to do that thing where I prod his essence, but all I got was anger and betrayal.

"Not now, Susannah, you must rest." Now that he was calmer, I tried to prod again. He shuddered and shut me out. I felt sadness. Or was it guilt?

xXx

One week later- one whole week- and I was up and ready to face the world again. Jesse still hadn't told me his secret. I'd kept prodding him, getting happiness with that underlying guilt, until he asked me if I felt something. I didn't exactly want to tell him that it was me trying to be nosy…

I'd decided, that today, I would go to see Paul, because I said I would. I really want to continue our shifter lessons as well; I feel there is a lot more to learn.

After having a shower and getting dressed, I went to the kitchen where Jesse was waiting with a plate of breakfast. AS soon as I saw the plate, I realized just how hungry I was. Honestly, I could kiss him.

"Morning, Querida," he said, taking the plates to our small table, which had a glass vase of daffodils in the middle. The sun brightened the idyllic image. Jesse pulled the chair out for me. I smiled at him, lovingly. This is the man I want to marry. Marry? Where did that come from? Of course I want to marry Jesse, but we'd never really talked about it. I mean-

"Susannah?" Jesse interrupted my thoughts. Jesse was waiting by the chair with his hands in his pockets.

"As good as that breakfast looks; I've got to go see Paul…" I said. I couldn't sit and talk with Jesse. Not now that I'm thinking about marriage. I might accidentally blurt it out and pressure him into marrying me.

"But, Susannah, I was looking forward to us having breakfast together," he replied, pouting. I must resist. Thankfully, he had his shirt on; otherwise, I might not have been able to fight temptation. Jesse looked at me, and then he reached across to the table and picked up a glass of orange juice. He began to drink it, and I could swear he purposely let it dribble down his chin and ruin his shirt. Then, he said, "I'm going to have to wash this shirt." He took it off. I'm not kidding. It was as if he knew my weakness. He dropped his shirt on the floor. He walked towards me, reaching out to rub his hands up and down my arms. "Querida, you must eat," he said, looking into my eyes.

Despite being made of jelly in that moment, I managed to say, "I'll eat at Paul's. We really have to talk about Egypt." I'd told Jesse what Dr Slaski said, but I didn't tell him about the other story, because it would just give him a reason to distrust him. I reluctantly pulled myself away from him and ran towards the door. Grabbing my shoes and my handbag, I opened the door and left. That was too close.


	17. Chapter 15 Mind Reading

**A/N: Hiya! Did you miss me? It hasn't been that long. A chapter with everyone's favourite "villain", Paul. Have fun reading. Review!**

**Disclaimer: It's not mine.**

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 15<strong>

Paul opened the door and let me into his apartment. It had been refurbished since the last time I'd been there. "Nice apartment," I said.

"Thanks, just had it done," he replied.

"Anyway, I just came to see how you were- I did say I would."

"I'm fine, my girlfriend looked after me most of the time, but I am used to it, so I probably recovered faster than you did."

"Jesse looked after me for a whole week."

"I was stuck for three days. Coffee?" He asked, walking towards the kitchenette.

"Yes please, lots of milk, two sugars." I went and slid onto one of the stools, resting my elbows on the cold marble worktop.

"How's the baby? How far along are you now?"

"I'm almost eight months. I haven't been to the doctors yet to see."

"You need to go. Do you want me to come with you?"

"That would be fantastic! Are you sure you have nothing else to do today?"

"I was just going to buy a new suit, but that can wait. Do you want to go now?"

"After the coffee."

"Sorry, I forgot about that." He slid my cup towards me. I took a sip. It was like sweet nectar. I'd forgotten how much I love coffee; Jesse wouldn't let me drink it during pregnancy. Paul sat on the stool next to mine, so I swivelled around to face him.

"Do you want to talk about Egypt?" He asked, cautiously.

"No, not yet. I was actually hoping we could continue the shifter lessons…" The lessons I'd been avoiding for years have finally caught up on me. Now I _need_ to know more about what I can do and what my baby can do.

"Suze, I don't think that's a good idea." Paul, the guy who'd been trying to get me to have said lessons was saying no?!

"Why not?!"

"Come on, Suze. You know why."

"No." I shook my head innocently…unless he meant Jesse.

"You're pregnant," he replied as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.

"And…?" I needed a better reason than that. If anything, the baby was a reason for me to have lessons- I can learn more about our abilities and hopefully be able to help it a little.

"Your boyfriend- he wouldn't approve." I took a sip of my coffee.

"He doesn't need to know."

"Ooh, seeing me behind your boyfriend's back! Don't I feel special(!)"

"Shut up, Paul. " I shoved him jokingly.

"What do you want to learn?"

"Mind reading," I said. Paul got up and walked over to his coffee table in the living room. He kneeled down over it and pushed down on one of the circles that were in each corner, which made the top of the table open up (like a door). "I'm sure there was something on mind reading in here," he muttered, rifling through what seemed like a filing cabinet. I picked up my cup of coffee and walked towards him. There were thousands of papers sorted into sections, mostly by Dr. Slaski, but some by other people. I didn't know that others wrote about shifters.

"Here it is," Paul took out a single double-sided sheet. It was looking quite new, compared to the last paper I looked at with him. It was typed on a computer, printed and laminated.

"To mind read," Paul read from the sheet, "you must see not the soul, as done previously to sense emotion, but the…well…mind. After all, it is _mind_ reading."

"Was it really written like that?"

"Layman's terms. This is clearly not the work of Dr. Slaski." Paul sat down on the sofa behind us. I sat next to him.

"You go first."

"I don't know if I want to read _your_ mind."

"Don't worry, there's nothing in there." I smiled.

"Except for thoughts on how attractive I am." He smiled.

"I'll think of a colour."

I put down my cup of coffee. Paul closed his eyes. I concentrated on Paul. I prodded his essence, just like I did with Jesse. "Go that feels weird!" He exclaimed, "It's like rolling around in a bed of hedgehogs!"

"Shut up! I'm trying to think."

I started again, but this time, I thought about his head, his mind, his thoughts. I didn't want to see too much, so I narrowed in on the fore front of his mind. His thoughts whispered in my mind – meaningless things, so I didn't pay attention. It wasn't hard to find what I was looking for- it was like a tidal wave in the sea of thoughts. He was projecting it loudly, and it echoed through my mind. It was all so intense, I felt as if I was in Paul's mind. No, not his mind. I was in his world. Pulling out was a lot more difficult than getting in. I had to use the main thought, as his mind was throwing it at mine. Then I opened my eyes (I didn't even know I'd closed them). Paul opened his. After searching through his mind like that, looking in his ridiculously blue eyes almost sucked me back in.

"Grey," I said, still looking.

"What?" His eyes focused.

"The colour. You were thinking of grey."

* * *

><p>Paul read my mind, then I blocked him out of my mind and he blocked me out of his. Then we both read each other's' minds at the same time. Now, we were trying to block as well as reading our minds. Paul's block was hard to break. Blocking is like putting a brick wall around your thoughts – it's easier than you would think. Paul's was tough. He'd perfected blocking, but he was struggling to penetrate my weak wall. Whilst getting into his mind was like trying to blow down a brick house (rather like the wolf in the three little pigs), mine was like a child knocking over some building blocks. When I tried breaking into Paul's wall, my guard slipped, meaning that my own wall became a little weaker. Paul's wall stayed standing, but his attacks on my wall were weak. It was as if I was using a sledge hammer and he was using a plastic mallet. We were both stuck.<p>

Then, Paul's wall weakened. It was like taking the cement from between the bricks. I broke through this easily. But, at the same time, Paul broke through mine; using the strength he'd taken from the wall to knock mine down. Then we stopped and came back to the real world. I opened my eyes and stared into Paul's deep blue eyes. They were unfocused and staring into my eyes. Then we were kissing.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: Did you like that chapter? I wrote it for all you Paul lovers out there. But what will happen next? What are the consequences to this? Does this kiss go further? Will Jesse find out? Stay tuned for the next chapter, which is hopefully coming soon. Don't hold your breath though.**

**Love ya,**

**Iheartbooks.**


	18. Chapter 16 Paul

**A/N: Sorry it's been a while, but I was thinking of continuing another story I read the start of and loved.**

**Disclaimer: It's not mine and probably never will be.**

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 16 Paul<strong>

I was kissing Paul. It felt right, but I knew it was wrong. I had Jesse at home, waiting for me. I was carrying Jesse's baby. I still didn't want to stop kissing Paul though. I liked the feel of his hands, under my shirt, stroking my back, playing with my bra strap. I liked the feel of his lips on mine, his tongue in my mouth. I even liked the feel of his body beneath my hands, his rock-hard abs, his smooth back, everything.

It wasn't until I felt him trying to take of my shirt that I pulled away. I didn't want to take this any further than it had gone – Jesse. This was Paul I was kissing as well. Paul. He may have become a nice guy over the past few months, but he was still…Paul.

"God, Suze. I'm so sorry. I-" He started.

"I didn't know what came over me. I'm sorry, Paul." He had a girlfriend and I had just kissed him. I felt awful, like some kind of pregnant home-wrecker.

"It's the shifting; it draws us closer."

"Messing around with our powers makes us want to be together?"

"It does if we shift together. It also augments our powers. Shifters are meant to be together." So that's what all that crap was about when we were sixteen. What he said makes sense now.

"You mean, all those years ago, you didn't want me – you wanted the power you could get from me?" I admit it- I was hurt.

"Partly. And because you were kinda hot."

"Were?" I asked, smiling.

"Don't push it, Suze," he replied, smiling.

We sat awkwardly for a moment just looking at each other. I knew that we both wanted to kiss again, but I wasn't going to let that happen.

"I'll see you next time, Paul," I said, getting out of my seat.

"Next time?" He asked.

"Our shifter lesson? Have you forgotten already?"

"I just thought that… Nevermind." I opened the door and stepped outside.

"Bye, Paul."

"See you later, Suze."

"I call you about that doctors' appointment."

"I'll look forward to it."

* * *

><p><strong>Paul's POV.<strong>

I shut the door after Suze had walked into the elevator. That kiss. I knew it was coming – as soon as she'd finished reading my mind the first time. It was so intense, that I felt like taking her as my own there and then. I'm a shallow guy; I don't normally have feelings like this, but I do.

After we came back from Egypt, things had changed somehow. I actually want to spend more time with Suze. I didn't want to hurt her feelings and I just couldn't act in the same way I did before. I want to be with her. I want to marry her and have lots of children.

I know I have to fight this, because, it's not real. It's shifter feelings. Someone up there wants the shifters to pair up and… well, I can't tell you that because it frightened me. That story in Egypt –the other story- I don't want that to happen. It doesn't feel like what's supposed to happen. The future is always uncertain, which means that there must be many ways for this to happen – hence two stories, but I will make sure Suze stays with Jesse. And it doesn't matter how painful it will be.

* * *

><p><strong>Back to Suze's POV<strong>

When I got home, I knew Jesse was there waiting. The lights were n in the kitchen. I hadn't realized how late it was. The time had flown whilst I was at Paul's. It seems to be going a lot slower now.

I tip-toed across the living room towards the bedroom. I'd left at breakfast, and it was now after nine o'clock at night. Noticing the time difference made my stomach growl. I didn't want to go into the kitchen and face the music. Instead, I'd rather hide in the bedroom. I stood outside the kitchen door, barely daring to breathe. I thought about running away – maybe if Jesse slept on it, he'd let me off. The more I thought about it, the more unlikely it sounded. This argument is bound to happen sooner or later, I'd just prefer it to be later. But I'm really hungry and I'm eating for two now.

I walked into the kitchen, as if everything was perfectly normal (after all, it might have been). Jesse was sat at the table, silent. As I took the leftover pasta bake from the oven, he said nothing. As I began to eat the pasta bake straight from the tray (which he hates), he said nothing. Even as I sat in the seat opposite him, he said nothing. I stopped eating to look at him. He stared back at me, a vacant look in his eyes.

"Jesse?" I asked, bravely, if I may say so myself.

"I love you, Susannah." Not the response I was expecting, but a good one all the same.

"I love you too, Amoureux."

"But, Susannah, when you say you're going to Paul Slater's in the morning and don't return until late, it makes me worry."

"We got carried away…"

"It makes me wonder what you do over there for so long," he continued as if I hadn't spoken.

"We were talking." Now probably isn't a great time to remind him about the whole shifter thing.

"Is that all you were doing? I know what he's like."

"Yes," I said, my voice wobbling slightly as I remembered the passionate kiss. I felt my cheeks go red.

"You're lying. Something else happened." His tone was still quite neutral, as if we were having a conversation about the weather.

"Nothing happened. I'm eight months pregnant – with YOUR child, no less- what could've happened?"

"I can tell when you're lying, Susannah. You get defensive because you know you're so bad at it. You can tell me what Paul did."

"Paul didn't do anything." It wasn't a lie, but thinking about it more deeply, Paul kissed me. And I liked it. It wasn't like one of Jesse's kisses; it was lustful. If it were a different situation, it would've gone further. Jesse's kisses are never like that because they will never go further. It made me think that this whole thing was his fault. Maybe if he wasn't so reluctant to have sex with me, I wouldn't have enjoyed kissing Paul so much.

"We kissed," I said. I waited for his testosterone-filled threats, but none came. Instead, he got out of his chair and walked away, leaving a small velvet box on the table.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: I feel as if I'm straying here. Tell me what you think. Should I go back to Suze and Jesse's happy little lives as they prepare to have a baby? I honestly didn't expect the story to go this way. They might even break up. Review. Tell me what you think.**

**Iheartbooks**


	19. Chapter 17 The Box

**A/N: Hey, readers, did you miss me? I love you all. Thank you to those that reviewed. I promise they'll be acknowledgements next time. Anyway here it is- **

**Chapter 17 The box**

I looked at the box, less than two feet away from me. It contained jewellery – that I knew. It was too small for a necklace, so, I could only be a pair of earrings. Or a ring. It could be a ring. But the only ring Jesse would by me was an engagement ring. That means that it can only be a pair of earrings.

I'm too scared to look in the box. Just in case it is what I think it is. Now isn't a good time for Jesse to be proposing. Not after today. This wasn't how I imagined the proposal. It's not supposed to be like this. I pull the box towards me, but stop halfway. I'm not going to open it. I get up from the table, determined to leave the ring, I mean, the box alone. It watches me walk to the door. I go back and sit down. Clearly, this isn't over yet.

xXx

**Jesse's POV (because there was a reason why he acted so strangely earlier)**

Susannah got home late tonight. That means that she had spent all day at Paul Slater's house. Can't she see what he's like? Doesn't she know that he's only trying to… get into her pants? He once told me that they had a deep connection – because they were both shifters. At the time, I didn't believe him; that's when he really was trying to steal Susannah away from me. Now I see them grow closer and I realize that maybe he was telling the truth.

This morning, Susannah left without even having breakfast, to go and see him. I tried to persuade her to stay. I even used my "come to bed" voice (I read about it in one of Susannah's magazines. The name seems inappropriate, but it's just for persuasion), to persuade her to stay. When that didn't work, I took off my shirt – something I know Susannah loves to see. I work hard to maintain my "abs" for her (she calls me Jesse DeHotness, but she doesn't know I know). She still left – ran off- to go and see him.

The reason I worked so hard to get her to stay was because I wanted to propose. I know it's not traditional to propose at breakfast, but I spent all night working myself up to it. Even whilst I was cooking the breakfast, I knew I was ready. Then she went to see Paul Slater. Not only that, but she comes home at night. 13 hours she'd been gone. 13 hours she'd spent with him.

When she came back, she said they'd been talking. Not for 13 hours. I don't think Paul Slater is capable of talking for 13 hours- especially not with Susannah. Then she confessed. They had kissed. That's all I needed to know. The way said it and the look in her eyes told me everything else. The fact that she wanted to hide it from me told me that it was different from their usual "kisses". This time, she'd kissed him back.

She never used to kiss Paul. He used to kiss her-something he had to pay for- but as long as his kissed were never returned, I could live with it. It was bad enough when she was young and irresponsible and refused to behave – that was how he was going to get her- now; somehow, it's much worse.

How can she go to him when she's carrying my child?

I was so hurt and angry and upset, I got up and left. I was too hurt to yell, too afraid of crying to talk (guys don't cry, but, in that moment…). Too clouded by emotions, I walked out, leaving the box – the really important box- on the table. So now I must wait.

**xXx**

**Still Jesse**

Susannah came into the room hours later. I was in bed, but I still wasn't asleep.

"I love you, Jesse." I didn't look at her. Not even when I heard her take off her clothes and slide into bed. Not even when I felt the warmth radiating from her body.

"I kissed Paul – actually, we kissed each other. It didn't mean anything. It isn't even real – the feelings that we have for each other-"

"You have feelings for Paul?" I couldn't help it. My Susannah is in love with another man.

"I didn't mean it like that. It's just…" She sighs exasperated. I feel her shuffle closer to me. She presses her body against by back so that it fits perfectly with mine. It's a bit awkward because of her pregnant stomach, but I didn't mind. "Are you going to leave me for him?" I ask. I don't know where that came from. I guess subconsciously, I knew it could happen. "Of course not, Jesse. He's just a friend. Well he is now."

"But you kissed him earlier."

"That was nothing. It meant nothing. It was just magic. Not real."

I turned to look at her. There were tears in her eyes. This is not how I imagined things when I decided that I would stay with her. That I would love her. And that she would be my wife, my sweetheart, my Querida. "Susannah?"

"Yes," she replied.

"Will you marry me?"

"No! Not now!"

"What?" I ask, puzzled, but not heartbroken…yet.

"Sorry. I mean-I will marry you. It's just that my waters have broken. I just didn't want this moment to be ruined and-"

"We need to get you to a hospital."

xXx

**A/N: isn't this exciting?! I'm so sad to be finishing. Next chapter's the last chapter. Who will win in the end? Jesse or Paul? Should I do a sequel? What it will happen in the next chapter? Review! I'll try to make the next chapter longer.**

**Love ya,**

**Iheartbooks**


	20. Chapter 18 Noemi (finished)

**A/N: Last chapter. **

**I promised acknowledgements didn't I?**

**Thank you to:**

**Guests**

**Love it**

**Angel4eva-15**

**Iluvebooks16**

**Lilystar And Awesome Kitteh**

**FlorenceAndTheMachineFan**

**Alina16**

**Lilith Parks**

**Shroomielove**

**Letcia Wilhelm**

**Greenlem**

**Get-Outta-My-Head**

**Yes, there could be a sequel, I'll let you know. If anyone has ideas for the sequel, send them in.**

Chapter 18 Noemi

I had a baby girl. We decided to name her Noemi. As I held her in my arms, I thought about how beautiful she was. There was no one but us in the hospital room. Everyone else had gone for coffee. I wanted to stay like that for ever. I didn't want to let go of Noemi. "Jesse?" He was sat on an armchair next to my hospital bed. It was a private room; Jesse wouldn't have anything else. He was quiet. I think he was thinking about something, maybe this was his way of jumping up and down with excitement. He just watched us with a smile on his face.

"Yes, Querida," he replied, coming back down to earth.

"How are we going to cope when she grows up?" I couldn't bear to think of Noemi going out and doing all the teenagery stuff, or even falling over in the park, for that matter.

"We won't worry about that now. We have many years before that happens."

"If she's like me, we'll have problems." I saw my first ghost at two. I have been brought home by the police far too many times and I have broken pretty much every bone in my body.

"If she's like any normal child, we'll have problems."

"She's not though, is she? She's a shifter, a very powerful one too." I'll never be able to forget the story in the cave. How she might be when she comes into her powers. Her life will never be normal. I can't even shield her form that world. Now I half understand how Jesse feels when I shift or when there's a particularly troublesome ghost. Did I just say troublesome?

"We'll cross that bridge when we get to it. You should get some rest; I'll go take her to the nursery."

I reluctantly handed her over. Once I was alone, Paul came into the room. He looked tired and I could've sworn he was wearing pyjamas. He came and sat in the chair that Jesse had just gotten out of. I didn't expect to see him and I had no idea who would've called him. If Jake saw him, I had a feeling it wouldn't go down too well. I can't believe he came. I know I don't hate him anymore, and that, actually, were kind of like good friends, but I still never thought he'd be here.

"Sorry I'm late, Suze. Was it a girl?"

"Yes. Her name is Noemi Isabella De Silva. I'm worried about her, Paul. She's too young to help ghosts or travel. What if she dies at a young age because of that?"

"Suze, I know you and I know that you will find a way around this, even if it means that both of you take Shifter lessons." I had to smile at that.

"Will you be the godfather, Paul?"

"I'd love to, but I don't think Jesse would be too pleased."

"It's something he's going to have to live with." He smiled.

"Does this mean I get to beat up any boys she brings home?"

"No, Jesse does that. You can be the awesome uncle who's too irresponsible to be allowed to teach her about Shifting." He face turned serious again.

"I promise I will not put your daughter in danger, Suze. I want to be the uncle that spoils her and that sometimes encourages her to be a rebel, but I don't want to be the man that gets her killed."

"I know, Paul."

"I've changed, Suze, and I think it's because of you. I care about you and your new-born child – not so much the over-protective boyfriend- but I don't want to see you hurt."

"Jesse is not over-protective, he just doesn't trust you and he isn't capable of hurting me. I used to think that you would. Hurt me, I mean, but now I don't feel that way. You're a good man, Paul."

"Then why not choose me? Why not be with me instead of Jesse? I'm rich, you, me, Noemi, we can run away together. I didn't mean run away -we aren't two teenagers fighting for a forbidden love. I can give you everything you ever wanted. I've tried so hard not to ask you this, Suze. I was fighting my own feelings so that you could have Jesse. I thought he was the better man, that he was better for you. Now I know that you think more of me, that you like me and trust me. We can be more than good friends, Suze. I can be Noemi's father and you'd be a great mom. I'm not the man I used to be and I'm never going back. In fact, I hate myself for doing that to you. I will do anything you want, Suze, anything."

"Paul."

"Don't say anything yet Suze. I want you to think about it." He gets out of the chair and walks to the door. Just before he walks out, he turns to me and says, "I love you." And closes the door. How am I going to sleep?!

xXx

The next day I awoke feeling refreshed, with Jesse sitting by my side. Then I remembered Paul's offer. I knew I couldn't possibly consider going with Paul. I love Jesse, he loves me and he's the one who's been here all night, sitting by my side. I just wish the magic hadn't made his offer so tempting.

"Good morning, Querida," he said in a low voice, lowering to kiss me. I was too distracted to kiss him back properly. Paul had really made me think. The magic is playing on my weaknesses. Paul seems to me what Jesse isn't, but in a good way. I can't guarantee that these feelings will fade. I love him with fake feelings. Though they don't feel very fake. I want him, but I have to stay with Jesse. Leaving him would tear us both apart. And Noemi; I want her to know her real father. I choose Jesse. I have to choose Jesse. The more I tell myself that I don't love Paul, that these feelings are fake, the less I believe it. This must have shown on my face because Jesse looked at me, concerned.

"Are you alright, Querida?"

"Yes, I'm fine. Have you seen Paul?"

"Paul? He was here?! I can't believe he actually had the nerve!"

"I need to call him."

"Hasn't he messed us up enough?" Jesse ran his hands through his hair.

"He asked me a question and I have to answer it."

"Are you choosing him over me?"

"At this very moment, yes. But I'm not going to leave you."

"Don't tell me he made you an offer!"

"He might have done."

"He's not going to be able to move an inch when I'm done with him, let alone leave with my fiancée."

"He was never going to leave with me. I'm turning him down. I don't want him. I want to live with you and Noemi as a happy family. There's no need for this."

The door opened and Paul stood there with flowers for me and a balloon for Noemi. He also had a giant teddy bear under his right arm. I wasn't sure who that was for.

"Speak of the devil," Jesse spat.

"You do know I've actually met the Devil," Paul replied calmly.

"What? Even he didn't want you?"

It was almost as if they'd switched roles. Jesse was jealous and irrational and Paul was being perfectly calm. Showing himself to be the better man. I was powerless watching this whole exchange.

"No. I had to do a job for him and he said that he would give me something in return," Paul said, with an air of nonchalance that didn't match his words.

"You made a deal with the devil?!"

"Yes. But that's not really important now," he turned to me and said with a wink, "I'll explain later."

"Where you're going, there won't be a later."

"Jesse, stop it! Stop! Enough with the death threats!" I yelled, unable to handle this any longer.

"She's right. It took me a while to figure it out, but that was the exact reason she always went running to you."

"Now the tables have turned and she's running to you," Jesse whispered. He slowly sat down on the bed, by my feet. Tears ran down his cheeks.

"Is it true, Suze? Are you really leaving him?" Paul asked in genuine disbelief. But before I could answer, Jesse started talking.

"I couldn't believe my luck when I found you, or rather you found me, after 150 years as a ghost. Then you brought me back to life. And you loved me and stayed with me, even when I was a ghost. Then you have my beautiful daughter. Our relationship was good, there were bumps in the road, but they brought us closer. And now you leave me for the guy you kept telling me you don't have feelings for." I can't believe this! I haven't even been able to say that I'm not leaving him yet!

"I hope you're all happy together," he said, as he walked out the room.

"Suze, I never dreamed you'd ever leave Jesse. Especially not for me. It was cruel of me to make that offer. I've actually come back to revoke it. I thought about it after I left yesterday, and I think we're better off without each other. And Noemi needs her Dad. I think it's best if I leave. For good. You'll never see me again-"

"First of all, I was never going to leave Jesse," he tried to interrupt me, but I stop him by holding up my hand, "and second of all, you don't need to disappear, Paul. I'm not going to forget you and I don't think these feelings are going to go away with you."

"They're not. We're old souls, Suze. Every time we reincarnate, our souls get closer and closer to being together, but each time, we manage to resist each other. There was a reason for that. We were too afraid of the power created when we get together. It's all in the other story, which you don't need to worry about right now. It's inevitable, Suze, maybe not in this life, or the next, but it will happen. You just need to concentrate on you daughter and her power."

I was speechless. I didn't know what to say. Finally, Paul was telling me the truth. The whole truth. Our purpose in life and he was resisting so that I could be with Jesse. I think it is our destinies to not be together every time. I didn't share this with Paul, after his whole "inevitable" speech. I let him believe that he can have me eventually.

Paul left and Jake came in, giving him a death glare that could petrify. Jake stopped looking at him like that when he noticed how upset he looked.

"That's right; don't look at me like that. She chose him."

"Is that true, Suze. Jesse-"

"Didn't listen," I finished, "he made his mind up, that I was leaving him because nothing good ever happens to Mr-Oh-So-Unfortunate. Not even the whole, meeting me, falling in love, coming back to life, getting laid, having a baby with the woman of his dreams…" I said, a little mad at him for not listening to the most important thing I'd ever have to say to him in his life.

"What was that about him coming back to life?" Jake asked.

"Nothing. Figure of speech," I said quickly.

"You are a terrible liar," he smiled at me.

"You have a terrible poker face. That douche is still here isn't he? Listening to every word." I called him a douche affectionately.

Jake stepped aside, like a curtain, to reveal Jesse standing there, grinning. His hair was a mess, his eyes were red and he looked like he'd slept in his clothes. If this were a movie, he would probably look a lot better than that, but it didn't matter. I probably looked absolutely awful, but that didn't matter either. At the end of the day, we were going home. Together.

xXx

A/N: a bit soppy towards the end, but what can I say? I love a happy ending. Do you think There should be an epilogue to tie up loose ends? I mean, for starters, there's the wedding, and Suze's dad is still around, and that baby was born prematurely, and the end of that story in Egypt, and Paul's story about his Deal With The Devil, and the baby's powers… This could all be put into a sequel, but this ending kinda works.

Love ya,

Iheartbooks.


End file.
